Contract negotiations between Safeway and its unionized employees in Dryden, Kenora and Fort Frances are underway this week.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Union represents about 400 full and part-time workers at the three stores.
Contracts expired earlier this year.
Meantime, Safeway is threatening to close its Thunder Bay stores unless striking workers ratify an agreement which will be supervised by the Ministry of Labour.
Job security is the main issue in the seven month-old strike.