Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) overwhelmingly approved new labor agreements with General Motors and Chrysler, rounding out the year's contracts with North America's Big Three auto producers, the union said Saturday.

The pacts, finalized on Thursday and ratified by the auto workers through Saturday, are identical to a deal reached two weeks earlier with Ford and include wage freezes and cuts in some benefits as the auto giants try to stay competitive with rival Asian manufacturers amid soft sales in North America.

The deals came historically early in the negotiations process -- about four months before the contract expiration.

"I have no doubt in my mind that going into early bargaining with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler was the best thing for our members," CAW President Buzz Hargrove said in a statement.

"We entered this round of bargaining knowing the unprecedented economic and political challenges facing auto workers in Canada," he said.

"Despite the odds being stacked against us we were committed to reaching an agreement that would protect the important gains our union has made over the years. I'm pleased to say that we did that."

The measures were approved by 84 percent of the union's members at the four GM plants in Canada in balloting Friday and Saturday, while 87 percent of CAW members working at Chrysler approved the three-year collective agreement Saturday, the union said.

The agreements freeze wages for three years at all of the Big Three US auto makers' assembly plants in Canada, and reduce vacations in a bid to cut costs amid slumping North American sales.

The union agreed to phased-in wages, benefits and time off for new recruits over their first three years of work, starting at 70 percent of base wages, in exchange for slowed job cuts.

It is the first time the CAW has signed labor contracts with two auto makers in the same day, and less than a week after starting negotiations.

A deal with Ford was signed at the end of April, a full five months before the existing contract expired.

CAW represents some 30,000 auto workers in Canada.

As part of its deal, GM agreed to manufacture new vehicles at its assembly plants in Oshawa, Ontario, and postpone the shutdown of a second shift at its truck plant from September until 2009.

Meanwhile, Chrysler promised to keep its Etobicoke, Ontario, casting plant open to 2011.

A weak economy and skyrocketing fuel prices in the United States are prompting consumers to put off purchases, especially of fuel-hungry sport utility vehicles and light trucks.

General Motors, the top US automaker, and number-two Ford saw declines in April sales of 16 percent and 12 percent, respectively, while Chrysler reported a 23-percent slide.