Employees at 17 No Frills stores in Ontario have established a strike deadline for Monday.

The labor union, representing over 1,200 employees across 17 No Frills grocery stores in Ontario, has established a strike deadline of 12:01 a.m. on Monday.

Unifor reports that negotiations for a new contract are ongoing, but workers are ready to initiate a strike to support their demands.

No Frills, the discounted grocery brand under Loblaw Cos. Ltd., is at the center of these labor discussions.

Lana Payne, the national president of Unifor, asserts that Loblaw must enter negotiations with a willingness to increase wages and enhance working conditions.

In its recent financial report on Wednesday, Loblaw disclosed a third-quarter profit of $621 million, up from $556 million in the corresponding quarter last year.

Earlier this year, employees represented by Unifor at the Metro grocery store chain in the Toronto area engaged in a five-week strike before reaching a resolution.