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.

A tentative agreement was reached between the workers of Safeway and the company, according to unions UFCW Local 5 and UFCW Local 648. The agreement occurred just an hour prior to the strike, according to the unions.