Members of the Teamsters union have authorized a strike against popular US retailer Costco next month as a pre-emptive bargaining-position ahead of the expiration of a work contract for 18,000 company workers. If a strike goes ahead, 56 of the company’s warehouse stores across five states would be affected after 85% of Teamster members voted to authorize the action over wages and benefits. The Teamsters said Costco had rejected proposals dealing...

(Reuters) - Teamsters said on Sunday its members at U.S. retailer Costco Wholesale voted in favor of a nationwide strike, as they entered a final round of talks to reach a new contract ahead of a Jan. 31 deadline. The union, which represents more than 18,000 workers at Costco, said 85% of its members voted to authorize a strike. "The vote is a direct result of the company’s continued failure to