DETROIT -- The UAW rank-and-file ratified their tentative labor contract with Ford Motor Co. by a margin of nearly 4-to-1, the UAW said today.

The contract covers about 54,000 active workers at Ford and more than 94,000 retirees and 28,000 surviving spouses, the UAW said. It will expire Sept. 14, 2011.

This was by far the most overwhelming approval among the Detroit 3 contracts. GM workers approved their contract by about a 2-to-1 margin. Chrysler workers narrowly approved their pact with only 56 percent in favor, with very little support from assembly plant workers.

At Ford, 81 percent of UAW production workers voted in favor of the pact, and 71 percent of skilled-trades workers voted yes. Overall, 79 percent of UAW Ford members voted in favor of the contract, the UAW said.

The union reached a tentative agreement with Ford on Nov. 3 without a strike. GM workers waged a two-day walkout, and Chrysler workers struck for about six hours.

The Ford contract contains two key provisions that will help Ford's financial outlook. The automaker is struggling to break-even in 2007 after a $12.6 billion loss in 2006.

Under the contact, Ford will be able to hire new hourly employees at a lower second-tier wage starting at $14.20 per hour, and up to 20 percent of the total hourly work force can consist of such second-tier workers.

"The agreement is fair to our employees and respects our employees," Ford CEO Alan Mulally said today, adding that he expects the contract to make Ford more competitive. He said Ford will discuss the contract further during a conference call on Thursday.

And Ford, like GM and Chrysler, agreed to establish a voluntary employee beneficiary association, or VEBA, to handle retiree health care coverage after 2010.

Ford agreed to pay $13.2 billion to establish the VEBA. In addition, Ford will shoulder the $2.2 billion estimated cost of providing retiree health care until the VEBA takes effect in 2010.

In return, Ford made guarantees to keep certain plants open, including six plants that were in danger of closing.

"Our bargaining team negotiated a contract that protects wages, benefits and seniority for our active members and provides income and health care security for our retired members," UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said in a statement.

"We stood our ground in the face of some rather big asks by the company and came away with a creative agreement that addresses the concerns of our members and also gives the company the opportunity to move forward," Gettelfinger said.

"Now it's up to Ford to successfully bring to market the top-quality vehicles our members are building in UAW Ford factories."

Amy Wilson and Reuters contributed to this story