CLEVELAND -- The last thing northeast Ohio needs is the loss of more jobs, but it could happen for workers at Tops, now that the chain is up for sale.

Union leaders said a deal could come this week. The issue at hand is not who will buy the grocery store chain, but how many will seal the deal, reported NewsChannel5's Caroline Leid.

Union leaders said 4,000 jobs at 46 stores are on the line. They said Tops officials told them last week that the company is considering a multi-bidder deal that could break the company into pieces, possibly costing jobs.

So, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, along with democratic political leaders across the state, are putting together what they call a broad-base community coalition.

The bottom line: They say they'll support the right deal but will oppose the wrong one.

"What we would like to see is if there is a bidder out there who wants to take all 46 stores and keep the 4,000 jobs that are providing an income for middle class families, keeping their health and welfare, keeping their pensions. That's what we would like to see them do," said union leader John Letner. "We understand they can do whatever they want to but there's a lot of people at stake here and a lot of livelihoods. Cleveland's the poorest city in the nation we can't afford to lose anymore jobs then we already have lost."

Officials also plan on drafting up paperwork just in case there are anti-trust implications in a multi-buyer deal: If another grocery store chain plans on buying just to get rid of the competition, they'll head to court.