Safeway workers in Colo. reject contract

Denver Colorado Safeway employees have joined their counterparts at King Soopers and rejected the grocer's latest bid in a contract dispute.

Safeway workers in most Front Range stores unanimously rejected the grocer's bid and reauthorized a strike first approved on May 8. United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 announced the vote late Wednesday.

Contracts for union workers at King Soopers, Safeway and Albertsons expired May 9. The chains are all negotiating separately, but the contracts often have similar provisions. Local 7 represents about 17,000 workers at the three chains.

No date has been set for a strike. Last week, King Soopers employees also rejected that grocer's offer.

King Soopers is owned by Cincinnati-based Kroger Co.