Workers at Clean Water Action Alliance of Minnesota have ratified their first contract.

"Voter turn-out was extremely high ? 87 percent," said Marty Demgen, local representative for the Minnesota Newspaper Guild, the workers' bargaining agent. The vote in favor of ratification was 64 to 36 percent.

"Everybody is getting pay increases," Demgen said. "People with the field canvass, phone canvass and office made the greatest strides."

The workers at the environmental advocacy group voted to organize in February 2004 in a National Labor Relations Board election.

"We set a precedent for other people in the national organization who may want to take advantage of collective bargaining," Demgen said.