Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union 142 overwhelmingly ratified a new six-year contract yesterday.

The union represents nearly 800 dockworkers statewide, including about 500 on O'ahu. The workers had been on a contract extension since their old six-year deal expired June 30.

Nate Lum, ILWU state longshore chairman, characterized the deal as "fair for both sides." He said the union had been negotiating with the Hawaii Employers Council, the stevedoring industry committee that represents employers Matson Navigation Co., Horizon Lines, Hawaii Stevedores Inc., and McCabe Hamilton & Renny, since April and reached the tentative settlement on Aug. 23.

"It was pretty cordial," Lum said of the negotiations.

The new contract will give the dockworkers a $5-an-hour raise over the life of the agreement. Lum said there were no major changes to either the medical or pension plans.

Lum said the union's negotiating committee unanimously recommended to the membership that the contract be ratified. Yesterday, the membership voted by show-of-hand to approve the pact.

In July, the ILWU agreed to a six-year contract that covers 25,000 dockworkers at 29 West Coast ports. Lum said the deal covering Hawai'i dockworkers was similar to the West Coast contract.