The looming threat of 18,000 Costco store employees heading to the picket lines appears less likely, with the Teamsters labor union announcing Saturday that it has reached a tentative agreement for a new contract with the grocery chain.

Costco and Teamsters union reach tentative agreement, averting potential strike. Negotiations were intense, with demands for better wages and benefits.

Costco Wholesale and the Teamsters union have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, averting a strike that could have disrupted operations. The