A food workers union that represents employees at a Maine distribution center says it has rejected a contract proposal and will go on strike.
The 250 workers are members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 who work at the Hannaford Distribution Center in South Portland. The union says the current three-year contract expired at midnight on Saturday.
The union says in a statement that members voted "overwhelmingly" to authorize a strike, and that there was "disappointing and unacceptable movement from Hannaford in key important economic areas."
Jim Carvalho, a union spokesperson at the distribution center, says workers are protesting the rising cost of helath care and changes to wages.
Carvalho adds that the union is asking the company to meet this week. If this does not happen, Carvalho says, workers may strike in the coming days.
A Hannaford spokesman didn't immediately return a call seeking comment from The Associated Press.
The union represents 15,000 workers in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
