Ethics in the digital workplace
Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns.
The management of Pilkington NSG, a manufacturer of glass elements for the automotive sector, has announced a collective redundancy plan that will affect 116 employees at its factory in Sagunto (Valencia), where 400 people work. This measure involves the dismantling of the laminating line at the plant to be relocated. The company and trade unions are now holding meetings to negotiate the plan. The unions have called eleven days of strike action during November (approved by 92.5% of the employees) to protest against the collective redundancy plan. In addition, the works council has met in recent weeks with the regional ministers of labour and economy and with the delegate of the national government in Valencia to gather support against the relocation and seek solutions to prevent job losses.
Update 28/11/2021: Pilkington factory management and the unions have reached an agreement to avoid redundancies. The workers' assembly has already ratified the agreement, which guarantees the continuity of the rolling line. Workers started protests against the collective redundancy plan on 8 November and had been on indefinite strike since 22 November, which was called off after the agreement. With the agreement, the initial number of 116 goes down to 50, who will leave the company through early retirement and voluntary redundancies.
Eurofound (2021), Pilkington, Internal restructuring in Spain, factsheet number 105703, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/105703.