Ford Motor Company and the Unifor auto workers union reached a tentative agreement just hours before a strike deadline on Tuesday, averting a work stoppage at the automaker's Canadian plants. The deal covers 5,600 Ford employees in Ontario and is pending ratification by union members.

Details of the agreement were not immediately disclosed. Unifor, which represents about 18,000 auto workers across Canada, took a traditional approach by negotiating solely with Ford rather than pursuing talks with multiple companies simultaneously.

The union is expected to release the specifics of the deal after a ratification vote by members. The agreement will likely serve as a template for Unifor's upcoming talks with other automakers.