WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Negotiators for Raley's here and two locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union have agreed to extend their contract through at least June 6 and to continue talking under the auspices of a federal mediator.
The move came one day before Raley's had said it would end seven months of negotiations and extensions with a "last, best and final" offer.
A Raley's spokesman told SN Michael Teel, Raley's president and chief executive officer, opted instead to "try exhausting all opportunities for a peaceful resolution" by suggesting the parties call in a mediator — a move the unions agreed to.
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The two sides said they would extend the contract until June 6, and if no agreement has been reached by then, to extend the contract on a day-to-day basis.
"Our goal is to come to a peaceful resolution," Teel said in a joint statement with Jacques Loveall, president of UFCW Local 8, and Ron Lind, president of UFCW Local 5. "Neither side wants a labor dispute, and we are hopeful the federal mediator will help us reach an agreement."
The two locals are negotiating with Safeway and Save Mart in separate talks from their discussions with Raley's.