The Canadian Auto Workers union has ratified its first collective agreement with St. Catharines based Algoma Great Lakes Shipping after voting 85% in favour of the contract.

Ratification was conducted by a secret ballot, mail-in vote following membership information meetings held on board Algoma's CAW represented vessels.

The four-year deal provides wage increases of three percent, retroactive to April 2011, and two percent retroactive to this past April. 

It also includes minimum wage increases of one-and-a-half percent in each fo the last two years of the contract.