Unionized workers at Hawaiian Telcom have overwhelmingly ratified a three-year contract that includes wage increases of 5 percent over the term of the deal.

The contract covers about 900 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1357. The agreement was approved by nearly 99 percent of the membership who participated in Saturday's ratification vote.

The members had been working on a day-to-day contract extension since the old deal expired on Aug. 31.

A tentative agreement was reached on Sept. 13, and the union's negotiating team recommended a vote in favor of ratification.

Under the new contract, union members will receive pay increases of 2 percent, 1.5 percent and 1.5 percent over the three-year period. Their benefits package remained unchanged.

"We are very pleased that the contract, which offers an attractive overall package, was ratified by 99 percent of our unionized employees who voted," said Eric Yeaman, Hawaiian Telcom president and chief executive officer.