TOLEDO -- Kroger employees could be hitting the picket lines this weekend.  Negotiations between the company and the union will continue Friday morning, but if those talks don't go well, thousands of unionized workers at Kroger could be on strike as early as midnight.

Grocery workers have been working under a contract extension since April.  After 20 bargaining sessions and one on Friday with a federal mediator, the union on Saturday gave Kroger a 7-day notice to "terminate" that contract extension.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 911 covers Kroger's workers in the Toledo area.  Local 911 president, Jeff Stephens, tells News 11 the sticking points are wages, health and welfare and an issue over vendor stocking.  He says the workers are looking for an agreement that is comparable to what Kroger offered Detroit unionized workers after only two bargaining meetings.

Kroger's Manager of Communications, Dale Hollandsworth, told News 11 talk of a strike is premature.  "We remain focused on an agreement," Hollandsworth told News 11.  "We will continue to negotiate, and believe that our customers and associates are best served at the bargaining table."

Kroger put out a letter dated last Monday to its employees, expressing disappointment over the union's move to cancel the contract extension.  The letter also says it presented the union with a comprehensive proposal and even made copies available for employees.

Another bargaining session is scheduled for Friday.