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 the Bosch plant in Mondeville, which is specialised in electrical and electronic parts and equipment for the automotive industry, has announced a plan to reduce the workforce by around 100 positions or 20% of the total workforce.
The decision follows the German company's economic difficulties in an highly competitive sector. The plan would involve both voluntary departures and an early retirement scheme. The CGT union adds that management has made it clear to employees that 'if there are no buyers, we could be heading for total closure of the Mondeville site in 2025'.
The last time the site was downsized was in 2015. During that time, both employees and unions collaborated to enact an early retirement plan that reduced the workforce from 630 to 500 over five years, in exchange for increased flexibility in work organisation and a commitment to invest €11 million between 2015 and 2020.
Eurofound (2023), Bosch, Internal restructuring in France, factsheet number 200328, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/200328.