UAW says it scored a major concession from GM and will not expand its Big Three strike Friday

United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain said Friday that Ford, General Motors and Stellantis will all avert an expansion of the UAW's work stoppages at this time, suggesting the unprecedented strikes against all three could be nearing an end.

Fain said the union made that decision after a major breakthrough in talks with GM on a key bargaining goal concerning the future of auto jobs, as the automakers shift from traditional gas-powered cars to a lineup of EVs.

GM agreed to have the workers at its future EV battery plants be covered by the national labor agreement governing other UAW members at GM, Fain said, after the UAW threated an expansion of the strike to a GM plant in Arlington, Texas, that assembles the company's full-sized SUVs.

The agreement is a major breakthrough on the union's key demand that there be a "just transition" from gasoline powered cars to EVs, which are seen as a threat to union jobs.

"We have had a breakthrough that not only dramatically changed negotiations, it is going to change the future of our union and future of our industry," said Fain.

GM said in a statement Friday said negotiations are continuing with the UAW.

"Our goal remains to reach an agreement that rewards our employees and allows GM to be successful into the future," the company said.