The talks will get underway at the offices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, said United Food & Commercial Workers Local 789. The goal is to have a contract for the members to consider and vote on by March 9, the union said. Issues in the bargaining will include health care, pay, and working conditions.

Union stores covered under the agreement include, Lunds, Byerlys, Coopers, Rainbow, Cub, R.C. Dick's, Kowalski's, Festival Foods, Jerry's Foods and Knowlan's Meat Departments.

"Our goal and mission is to arrive at an agreement that provides living wage jobs, affordable health care, and pensions for our members in the east metro, and to serve as a model for all retailers in the industry," Local 789 President Don Seaquist said in a statement issued by the union.