SAN DIEGO -- Southern California's lingering grocery strike is claiming another casualty -- the Salvation Army's annual red kettle fund-raising campaign, 10News reported.

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To avoid any conflicts, the Salvation Army has pulled its holiday bell ringers from Vons, Albertsons and Ralphs. Pulling the bell ringers may potentially cost the charity $500,000, according to 10News.

"The Salvation Army has, over a period of 100 years, identified the places where people are most likely to give and the supermarket is one of this key places where the Salvation Army meets the donor," said Salvation Army Lt. Cmdr. Douglas O'Brien.

Unlike shoppers, who can choose another grocery chain, there is no alternative for the Salvation Army.

"Obviously it's like a war -- there are casualties. We feel bad about that. There are businesses in the mall that are suffering and the Salvation Army is affected," said Micky Kasparian, the president of local 135 United Food & Commercial Workers International Union.

Meantime, for the fourth time since the grocery strike started eight weeks ago, negotiations will resume Tuesday.

Grocery striker David Kavederis told 10News, "I'm glad they're back to the table. They can't solve a problem unless they're both talking." There is optimism that the grocery strike may soon finally come to an end, 10News reported.

"We're hoping these sets of talks are the ones that do it," Kasparian said.

Kasparian is preparing to sit down, once again, with grocery chain representatives and a federal mediator.

"Any time you can go into negotiation and have dialogue, you have to be optimistic. It's a critical time with the holidays coming up," Kasparian said.