Kroger, Safeway workers set strike deadline in Arizona

Los Angeles Union workers at Arizona grocery stores operated by Kroger Co. and Safeway set a Friday evening strike deadline if a contract agreement is not reached, according to a Reuters report.

Some 25,000 workers at Fry's and Safeway supermarkets around the state could walk off the job on Friday at 6 p.m. if salary and benefit terms are not reached, the report said.

Safeway and Fry's signed a mutual lockout agreement in the event the union calls a strike at only one of the companies.

The agreement calls for the non-striking company to lock out its union workers if a strike is called against the other.

The combined chains have nearly 250 stores around the state.