MARTINEZ — Hours before thousands of Safeway workers across the Bay Area were set to strike, workers for UFCW Local 5 and UFCW Local 648 agreed to a tentative agreement with the company Saturday that would guarantee higher wages and improved benefits for workers.

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.

Despite active negotiations for better pay, Safeways in California are advertising temporary positions with higher wages than they’re currently paying union members.