Frustrated by an inability to reach an agreement despite negotiating for much of the year, the United Food and Commercial Workers union set a noon deadline today for the major grocery companies to make a contract proposal, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Both sides say that there are too many complex issues left unsettled and that neither side has budged on key differences.

Here’s a look at the state of the talks.

What is happening today?

Negotiations continue. The union is demanding that Ralphs, Vons and Albertsons produce a written contract offer by noon. The union also has scheduled an afternoon news conference.

Will there be another strike and lockout like the 141-day dispute in 2003-04 that made grocery shopping so hard?

It’s too soon to tell. Both sides say they don’t want a strike, and for good reason. The last dispute cost the employers an estimated $1.5 billion and was catastrophic to workers. About half of the employees of the three big chains at the time of the dispute have left the business.

Read the full L.A. Times story

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