United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 announced Saturday that, unlike the February strike by King Soopers workers, the Safeway/Albertsons walkout will begin on a more limited scale.

About 45,000 grocery workers have authorized a strike at Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores in Southern California to protest unfair labor practices.

Procedural vote action is part of larger vote in Western states over contracts as grocers say they still seek agreement with workers.