(Bloomberg) -- Thousands of grocery workers at Kroger-owned Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores in California have voted to authorize their union to call a strike amid ongoing contract negotiations.

The sides will continue talks on a new labor deal on March 30 and no date has been set for a strike, according to an emailed statement from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union on Sunday. About 47,000 workers of seven UFCW locals in south and central California were eligible to vote, the group said.

The union is demanding a $5 an hour raise over a three-year contract -- to replace its most recent one that expired March 6 -- along with more stable hours and staffing, and improved safety measures in the stores.

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