Mediated negotiations between three supermarket chains and their striking unionized grocery clerks broke off on Sunday without significant advances on key disagreements over health care benefits and wages for new hires, the Los Angeles Times reports (Cleeland, Los Angeles Times, 12/9). The grocery clerks' strike, which involves 70,000 United Food and Commercial Workers members employed by 859 Albertsons, Kroger -owned Ralphs and Safeway -owned Vons grocery stores, began Oct. 11 after contract negotiations failed, in large part because of disputes over health benefits. The grocery store chains had asked employees to pay $5 per week for individual health coverage and $10 to $15 per week for family coverage. In addition, the companies proposed that employees pay as much as $75 for prescription drug coverage and that they no longer provide dental and vision care benefits.