Tops is looking to sell the seven north country stores it bought as part of the P&C Foods bankruptcy sale to another grocer.

That's according to the union representing P&C workers, the United Food and Commercial Workers local based in Utica.

On its website, the union wrote on a page of information for affected workers, "the company has informed us [the North Country stores are] out of their footprint, and we are attempting to find a union buyer for these stores."

That information was dated Wednesday, February 3.

The next day, the union posted the following:  "As part of their evaluation Tops has asked our Local whether or not there are any union buyers for these stores; Watertown, West Carthage, Gouvenor, Canton, Potsdam, Massena or Ogdensburg. Today we have informed Tops that there is not a likely union buyer for these stores.  Consequently, it is likely that if Tops does decide to sell these stores it would be to a non-union buyer."

Price Chopper is a non-union grocer.

The union wrote that union members displaced by the changes made by Tops would be put on a list for preference in hiring as opening occur.

Tops acquired the assets of P&C Foods late last month for $85 million.  P&C tried and failed to survive its third bankruptcy in a decade.

Tops bought 79 stores in the deal but has not said what it will do with individual stores, aside from telling the union that it does not want to keep the North Country outlets.