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GM strike could end this weekend if UAW members approve contract

The 4-year contract would give workers a mix of pay raises, lump sum payments and an $11,000 signing bonus.

PARMA, Ohio — It was a tense night of waiting on Thursday for nearly 50,000 striking General Motors workers, including 900 here in Northeast Ohio.

They're waiting to see if they'll soon be back on the job.

That answer will come on Friday, as United Auto Workers (UAW) members cast their final ballots on the tentative deal.

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What's in that deal?

It’s a 4-year contract that would give workers a mix of pay raises, lump sum payments and an $11,000 signing bonus.

The agreement also says that the Lordstown Plant will remain closed.

For the last 19 years, this father of two has worked inside GM’s Parma Metal Center.

"I’m a well checker, I’m quality control basically," said Darryl Campbell, of Cleveland. 

But for the last six weeks, Campbell has spent his days outside those walls, picketing.

"Everybody’s got the same fight. We just worry about the future of our facility and the younger generation," said Campbell.

This strike, which is the longest for GM since 1970, has also cost the company big bucks. The Center For Automotive Research said that not operating in the U.S. for six week has cost GM roughly $2.7 billion dollars.

"If it’s ratified, if it’s not ratified, I respect the decisions of the UAW members," said Campbell. "We just want the corporation to understand we need them here so that our kids can have a future."

Of course GM and it’s suppliers have been losing profits and workers haven’t been getting paid – but the strike has also taken a toll nationally. That's because money that’s normally spent at grocery stores, restaurants, and car dealerships, hasn’t been getting spent. 

RELATED: From $1,250 to $250 per week: Striking GM workers worry about bills

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