The UAW said at the weekend it had "secured big gains and job security protections in a proposed tentative agreement with Ford".

"The bargaining committee unanimously voted to send the proposed Tentative Agreement to local union leaders who make up the union's UAW National Ford Council," the UAW said in a Facebook post.

The council is due to meet in Detroit today (9 November) to discuss and vote on the agreement.

In a statement, Ford said: "Working with our UAW partners, we have reached a tentative agreement for the next four years for our employees and our business. The agreement, if ratified, will help lead the Ford Motor Company, our employees and our communities into the future."