Bryan Fields, a Costco employee in Baltimore and member of Teamsters Local 570, told ABC News that the strike deadline comes after months of stalled conversations, extensions and failed negotiations with the company.

Teamsters said its members voted in favor of a strike as they entered a final round of talks to reach a new contract ahead of a Jan. 31 deadline.

More than 18,000 Costco workers will be walking picket lines in less than two weeks if a labor dispute over wages and benefits is not resolved, according to the Teamsters union. Members voted by an 85% margin to authorize a strike when their current contract expires on Jan.