Thousands of striking General Motors workers will spend at least one more week on the picket line, even after the workers reached a tentative agreement with the automaker.

The United Auto Workers national council reached a tentative agreement with GM, but it could take up to seven days to be ratified. Until then, nearly 50,000 works will continue to strike.

"We encourage the UAW to move as quickly as possible through the ratification process, so we can resume operations and get back to producing vehicles for our customers," GM said in a statement . "Our goal during these negotiations was to ensure the future of General Motors is one that works for our employees, dealers, suppliers and the communities where we operate. The agreement reflects our commitment to U.S. manufacturing through the creation of new jobs and increased investment."

After five weeks of strikes and "tense negotiations," the UAW and GM reached an agreement Thursday that "represents major gains" for workers, the union said in a statement . A meeting on Friday will review the details of the deal and a vote on whether to recommend it to the UAW-GM membership for ratification will be held.

Also during the meeting, the UAW national council will decide whether to continue the strike until ratification concludes or to stop the strike when the council approves the agreement.

GM workers voted to strike on Sept. 15 over pay, health insurance and permanent worker status. The agreement will give UAW members pay increases, protect their health insurance coverage without imposing additional payments and provide a path for temporary GM workers to become permanent employees.