Starting with meat department workers, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 is scheduling strike authorization votes for its members at Portland-area Albertsons, Safeway, and Fred Meyer stores. Members working under the meat contract are asked to attend one of nine strike vote meetings:

Monday, May 20 at 8am, 1pm, and 6pm at Embassy Suites Hotel, 9000 SW Washington Square Rd.

Tuesday, May 21 at 8am, 1pm, and 6pm at Joe Edgar Hall, Teamsters Local 162, 1850 NE 162nd Ave.

Thursday, May 23 at 8am, 1pm, and 6pm at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Georgia Pacific Rm., 300 Winning Way

Later strike votes will be scheduled for other bargaining units, such as checkout and grocery departments.

The union bargaining team will next meet with the employer group representatives on May 15 and 16.