The unions representing more than 20,000 Safeway employees throughout Northern California reached a tentative agreement with the company, averting a strike.

Before an agreement was reached, grocery workers across Northern and Central California prepared to strike starting on Saturday at 12:01 a.m. Union officials Saturday morning announced that the deadline for an agreement had been extended and delayed the proposed strike by 24 hours to Sunday at 12:01 a.m.

A strike deadline was to midnight tonight as Safeway employees across Northern California wait for a decision on their contract negotiations.