The union that represents about 56,000 mostly grocery and health workers across Washington, North Idaho and northeastern Oregon voted Thursday night to authorize a strike of employees working at grocery stores owned by Albertsons and Kroger.

However, the vote simply authorizes a strike and does not immediately call for one. And, it does not involve workers of Rosauers, Safeway, Albertsons and Fred Meyer in the Spokane area because they authorized a contract that does not expire until next year . Safeway is owned by Albertsons and Fred Meyer is owned by Kroger.

Tom Geiger, special projects director for the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, or UFCW, said the vote Thursday night mostly involves workers Albertsons and Kroger stores in Western Washington .

“We author

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