Some union members prepared for strike action over the weekend

The two sides adjourned without agreement at 0300 local time (0800 BST) and will resume later in the day.

A GM spokesman said that all employees were expected to report for work at their scheduled times on Monday.

The talks are important because the UAW's contracts with Ford and Chrysler will be based on the GM agreement.

The three Detroit-based carmakers are trying to cut costs as they attempt to recover from combined losses of $15bn (�7.5bn) last year.

GM's contract with the UAW was due to expire on Friday night but has been extended hour by hour since then.

There was a danger that if no agreement could be reached, the union may instruct its members not to report for work on Monday.

Expensive benefits

GM, Ford and Chrysler claim that their workers, on average, cost them more than $30 an hour more than Toyota's.

They want staff to give up some of their expensive benefits such as pensions and health insurance to improve their overall competitiveness.

Any tentative agreement between GM and the UAW will have to be ratified by a majority of GM's 73,000 hourly workers.