Hannaford Distribution Center Workers, Owners Will Come To Table

PORTLAND, Maine - A food workers union and the owner of a distributor in Maine say they will meet to try to avert a strike that was authorized by union members.
 
More than 200 members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 who work at the Hannaford Distribution Center in South Portland announced on Sunday that they had authorized a strike. Hannaford's owner, Belgium-owned Delhaize America Distribution, says it will meet with the union to mediate on Feb. 26.
 
Union spokesman Jim Carvalho says the meeting is scheduled, but the union has made no agreements that there won't be a job action between Tuesday and Feb. 26. The union wants concessions such as more affordable health insurance and better starting pay for new members.
 
The union's three-year contract expired on midnight Saturday.