The union representing more than 45,000 grocery store workers from Santa Barbara to San Diego voted Wednesday to authorize a strike against supermarket chains Albertsons and Kroger. No date has been set for a strike.

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

Strikes only happen when companies push workers past the point of no return. No worker wants to give up a paycheck in order to get the raise and benefits they feel they deserve. In many cases, even when management and labor negotiate a favorable deal,