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

Local union representatives from United Food and Commercial Workers announced a tentative agreement Sunday with Albertsons Companies amid a planned strike of nearly 25,000 employees.• Video Above: A Brief History of the Federal Minimum Wage Albertsons Companies is the parent company of Safeway and Vons grocery stores.

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.