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 Spanish online fashion retailer Venca has presented a labour redundancy file (ERE) affecting all its 155 employees in their premises of Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona).
The company has experienced several difficulties in the past months. In April 2023, it filed a Temporary labour redundancy file (ERTE) affecting a part of the workforce due to a decline in sales and production.
The unions have strongly criticised the measure, and have called for a protest on 27 January 2024 against the ERE. Unions have also stressed that the negotiation period with the company will be open in the coming days, and this negotiation period is expected to last 30 days.
In September 2019, the company also experienced a redundancy plan, affecting 68 employees Venca 2019-ES.
Eurofound (2024), Venca, Closure in Spain, factsheet number 200705, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/200705.