SAN DIEGO -- Ralphs grocery chain is being accused of unlawfully hiring some of its locked-out workers. The lawsuit was filed Friday in a Los Angeles Superior court.

The grocery strike is approaching the three-month mark.

In its lawsuit, the grocery workers' union contends Ralphs encouraged some union workers to secretly work during the labor dispute using false names.

GROCERY STRIKE LOCK OUT VOTE: Cross Picket Line To Shop? DISCUSS: Share Your Thoughts EMAIL ALERT: Sign Up For Grocery Strike Major Development Emails LINKS: UFCW135.com Albertsons.com Safeway.com Vons.com

"What we think happened was they became desperate and they needed qualified help, and to get some of their people to come back this is the format they had to do it in," said Mickey Kasparian, president of Local 135.

Some of the picketing workers told 10News that they were not surprised by the issues surrounding the lawsuit.

"Just [with] the strike in general, you learn a lot about how big corporations work and that they are kind of shady," said striking worker Philema Tyler. "I could see them doing that."

"I'm not really surprised about it. The company has already gone to great lengths to discredit us and benefit their cause in any way possible," said striking worker Randy Reynolds.

Ralphs did not respond to requests from 10News seeking comment on the lawsuit.

The union's allegations in the lawsuit state that Ralphs owes its 19,000 locked-out employees unemployment benefits and back pay because it has been a selective lockout, not a total lockout of all its employees.

"Many of these people where hired using Social Security numbers of their children or other relatives in their family," Kasparian said.

The lawsuit additionally alleges Ralphs would send those employees to stores where they would not be recognized.

For example, a San Diego County employee was sent to an Orange County store.

On the picket line, opinions about those workers who crossed the line were mixed.

"I can't hold any animosity, everyone has reasons for what they do. There are people in the stores right now who have jobs that are unethical," Reynolds told 10News.

"They are defeating the purpose, cutting their own throats and taking the chance people are going to know they crossed the picket line," Tyler said.

There is still no word on when the union and the grocery chains may return to the bargaining table.

The main sticking points in negotiations continue to be health care benefits and pensions.