UAW leaders reach tentative deal with GM to end US worker strike

Leaders of the United Auto Workers union announced Wednesday they have reached a tentative deal with General Motors to end a nationwide strike that began a month ago.

The UAW GM National Council, which includes local union chapters, will convene on Thursday to consider the agreement before it is sent to the full union membership for ratification, the union said in a statement.

The strike will continue until the council approves the proposed agreement. But union leaders also will decide Thursday whether to continue striking until all members vote, the UAW said.

Neither the UAW nor GM released details of the tentative deal that would end a strike that has dragged into its fifth week, with rising impacts to both the company and the workers.

Nearly 50,000 hourly workers have been on strike since September 16.

The full employment hit has been placed as high as 150,000 people throughout the industry, including tens of thousands of salaried GM workers and auto supply employees.

"The number one priority of the national negotiation team has been to secure a strong and fair contract that our members deserve," said UAW Vice President Terry Dittes.

Dittes said union leaders would refrain from commenting on the details "out of respect for our members" until UAW GM leaders hear all the details.

A GM spokesman confirmed the UAW statement and said "additional details will be provided at the appropriate time."

GM said last week that it had committed to "billions of dollars in new investment" and "thousands of new jobs" in the United States. Labor experts have viewed the vote of the full UAW membership as more of a wildcard this time than usual due to a corruption probe that has resulted in US criminal charges against about a dozen UAW officials and which included an August FBI raid of the home of UAW President Gary Jones.