Walter Reuther

A wave of strikes that disrupted the three largest U.S. automakers for six weeks looked to have been finally resolved, as the auto workers union reached a tentative agreement with holdout General Motors.

The GM deal announced by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union comes after pacts with Stellantis and Ford, appearing to end the strike on the "Big Three" automakers.

Ford has said the need to retore manufacturing operations outweighed the additional costs to sweeten a labor contract to end a strike that has cost it some $1.3 billion.

With the clock ticking down to a possible strike, Detroit carmakers are staring at tough contract negotiations with an emboldened auto workers union led by a fiery new president.

Shawn Fain, who was sworn in as president of the United Auto Workers five months ago, is laying the foundation to potentially strike if there is no agreement by Sept. 14.

UAW, the union that once boasted a million and a half members at the height of its power and set standards for labor relations in the US through its collective agreements, now represents 400,000 people. Recently, it has made a series of previously unthinkable concessions to employers.