Food 4 Less in pact, Kroger says

Kroger Co., the biggest U.S. grocery chain, said union employees at its Food 4 Less unit in Southern California ratified a contract.

The four-year contract, effective immediately, covers more than 5,700 employees represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers, Cincinnati-based Kroger said.

Southern California unions in July ratified contracts at Kroger's Ralphs, Supervalu Inc.'s Albertsons and Safeway Inc.'s Vons and Pavilions, avoiding a repeat of a strike that crippled the industry three years ago.