Would You Cross a Grocery Store Picket Line?

Friday is a pivotal day for labor negotiations between Raley's and its union, as the grocery chain presses for healthcare and pay cuts.

The Sacramento Bee said Raley's wants a deal by Friday night.

"At some point, the company could give the union its 'last, best offer' – a move that would prompt a strike or force the union to agree to Raley's demands for savings," the Sacramento Bee reported.

The paper said a strike is "a ways off," and would have to be authorized by the United Food and Commercial Workers union. If this labor dispute led to the first strike in the company's 77-year history, what would it mean for the  and its  on Bradshaw Road?

The stores would likely remain open, staffed by temporary workers and managers, according to the Bee–but doing so would be tough.

"Many of its departments, like the bakery and hot-food takeout, require specialized skills that couldn't be easily duplicated," the Bee reported on Tuesday.

Carmichael, what would you do if Raley's employees went on strike? If the Raley's in Carmichael is your favorite place to shop, would you visit there even if their workers were on strike? Would you find a different store or shop at a non-union store like Wal-Mart in the meantime? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Disclosure: Cody Kitaura is a former Raley's employee and former member of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.