BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The Bellingham City Council has formally voiced its opposition to a grocery mega-merger it says could jeopardize local jobs.

The council voted unanimously on Monday night to approve a resolution opposing the potential merger between Kroger and Albertsons.

The resolution cites concerns over reduced competition, potential price hikes, reduced food access and impacts to unionized grocery workers, including job losses. It estimates there are more than 500 union jobs across the four Haggens and one Safeway store in Bellingham that could be put at risk by the proposed merger.

Council member Jace Cotton introduced the resolution and explained how the merger would harm union workers’ leverage in their negotiations.

“Right now, workers can basically point to contracts bargained at other stores to push forward higher wages and working conditions at their own,” Cotton said. “So when that concentration increases, there’s less bargaining power for workers.”

Both grocery giants have denied the claims and argue their merger would instead lower prices and boost job growth.

A copy of the resolution has now been sent to the Federal Trade Commission, the state Attorney General’s Office and the CEOs of Kroger and Albertsons.

It comes as the two companies presented their closing arguments on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Portland over the FTC’s attempt to block the merger.