Workers at US retailers Kroger, Safeway Inc and Supervalu Inc could strike this weekend following a breakdown in talks over contracts.

Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers union claim that new contracts drawn up by the retailers’ Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons chains will force grocery store employees to pay as much as $11,000 more a year in healthcare costs, cutting some staff’s pay by 50%.

A joint statement from union leaders said: “We don’t want to strike but if they won’t negotiate, we have no choice.”

Vons, Ralphs and Albertsons, respectively, told the Los Angeles Times that they would continue negotiations with the union to try to prevent the strike.