Hundreds of retail workers walked off the job Friday morning at San Francisco's flagship Macy's store in Union Square.
Contract talks between the local United Food and Commercial Workers Union and Macy's broke down Thursday night resulting in a two-day strike.
The union's president, John Nunes, said workers want better pay, increased staffing levels and affordable health care.
Nunes said the company only offered a $1-per-hour pay bump over three years and won't budge on affordable health care, staffing levels and seniority.
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"What the company is offering is completely insufficient to what the workers had to go through for the last three years," Nunes said. "The wages are inadequate. The healthcare is really bad."
The union is asking shoppers to boycott Macy's across the Bay Area.
NBC Bay Area talked to shoppers who said they support the retail giant's workers.
"I didn't know that, or maybe I would have shopped somewhere else," someone said.
Union members met Thursday to reject the company's latest offer, and by an overwhelming 93% majority they voted in favor of the two-day strike at the Union Square store.
The strike will last through Saturday -- the store is closed Sunday on Christmas Day. Employees said they plan to return to work on Monday and are hoping Macy's will offer them a better deal.
Jullianne Olivio, a Macy's spokesperson, provided the following statement on Friday:
"At Macy's, our top priority is to ensure the safety of our colleagues and customers. Our Macy's Union Square store remains open to customers and colleagues."
