(PUEBLO, Colo.) — Following a vote by union members across the state, strikes began at 77 King Soopers stores in northern Colorado on Thursday, Feb. 6. While the strikes did not initially include any stores in Colorado Springs and Pueblo, the union announced that Pueblo stores would be going on strike starting Friday, Feb. 7.

The unfair labor practice strike began at 5 a.m. on Thursday in Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties, as well as King Soopers stores in the cities of Boulder and Louisville. The union confirmed to FOX21 News that workers in Colorado Springs and Pueblo had also voted to strike, though the dates and times for strikes in those cities had not yet been determined.

At a press conference on Thursday in Denver, the UFCW Local 7 union announced that the strike would be extending to Pueblo stores beginning Friday. The union said strikes have not yet been expanded to include Colorado Springs.

The union said some Colorado Springs workers’ contracts have not yet expired, and strikes could expand to Colorado Springs later in February when those contracts do expire, though the union stressed that no strike activity has been definitively planned for Colorado Springs.

In a statement sent to media outlets on Thursday, King Soopers said it is committed to keeping stores open during strikes, and argued that the unfair labor practice accusations are unfounded. King Soopers said the National Labor Board has not investigated or confirmed any of the allegations.

“We want to be clear—the Union’s call for a strike is not about wages, healthcare, or pensions. It is based on allegations we believe lack merit and have yet to be validated by the NLRB or any court,” said Joe Kelley, President of King Soopers. “We are deeply concerned for our associates, who are being misled into a work stoppage that doesn’t serve their best interests. This also harms our customers, who will face higher prices at Safeway—often 10-12% more—or have to shop at non-union competitors.”