According to the union, 92.2% of union members who cast ballots voted in favor of the agreement, which protects jobs over the next nine years and contains promises of continued investment in thyssenkrupp sites.

"The high turnout and the clear result show broad support for the outcome of the negotiations, which will allow the collective agreement to become valid, and the jobs of the employees will be secure by 2026," said IG Metall first chairman Jörg Hofmann in a translated statement.

thyssenkrupp executives also said they were pleased with the outcome.

"The members of IG Metall at the steel sites have decided by a clear majority in favor of the collective agreement and this will give the planned joint venture a strong future. This joint result does justice to the interests of the company and gives our employees security. That is in line with our corporate culture," said thyssenkrupp labor director Oliver Burkhard. 

As Germany’s Deutsche Welle reported, the agreement isn’t essential to completing the joint venture, but having the labor force on board was seen as key. thyssenkrupp’s supervisory board, which includes labor representation, still needs to approve the joint venture.

According to the Reuters news service, the union made it clear that the vote pertained only to the labor agreement itself and was not a referendum on the proposed joint venture overall.