UPDATE 2-UAW will turn to Ford after GM workers approve deal -sources

(Recasts with UAW members set to announce approval of GM deal, adds details on Ford talks set to happen next)

DETROIT/WASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) – The United Auto Workers union is set to announce later on Friday it has chosen Ford Motor Co as the next U.S. automaker the union will negotiate with, sources briefed on the matter told Reuters.

The UAW is also set announce later on Friday that members have ratified a deal to end a 40-day U.S. strike at General Motors Co, the sources said. The UAW declined to comment and a Ford spokeswoman said she could not confirm the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker had been chosen.

The UAW and Ford, the second-largest U.S. automaker, are expected to meet on Monday to begin talks. Ford and the UAW said earlier this month they had made “significant progress” in addressing many bargaining issues.

Workers at GM are expected to begin to go back as early as Saturday under a new four-year contract, sources said, ending a 40-day strike that cost the No. 1 U.S. automaker more than $2 billion. The union wrung higher pay and other benefits from GM as part of the deal to end the strike by about 48,000 workers.

UAW leaders had recommended that the members at GM, who have remained on the picket lines, ratify the deal reached on Oct. 16.

The GM strike began on Sept. 16, with UAW negotiators seeking higher pay for workers, greater job security, a bigger share of profit and protection of healthcare benefits. Other issues included the fate of plants GM targeted to close, as well as the use of lower-paid temporary workers.

The strike not only cost GM more than $2 billion according to analysts, but also will likely slash at least 46,000 jobs from October’s nonfarm U.S. payrolls, the Labor Department said on Friday.

Under the deal, GM will invest $9 billion in the United States, including $7.7 directly in its plants, with the rest going to joint ventures. The Detroit company said it will also create or retain 9,000 UAW jobs, a substantial portion of which will be new, a source previously said. The contract offers $11,000 signing bonuses to members, and pay raises.

The UAW previously agreed to temporary contract extensions with both automakers while it focused on GM. (Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit and David Shepardson in Washington Editing by Nick Zieminski and Matthew Lewis)