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.
Bombardier Transportation manufactures trains. In the UK, it has sites in : Derby (2000), Crewe (1000), Wakefield (350), Doncaster (150), Ilford and Plymouth. On 30 October 2003, there were already rumours of site closure: 170 jobs had already been lost in the previous weeks, and there were serious concerns about the Derby plant, which faced an order gap of 3 years. On 8 January 2004, Kim Howells, the transport minister, said he considered the prospect of government support to maintain activity on the Derby plant. Unions were pressing government for some time to find interim contracts between 2004 and 2008. Despite these reactions, on 18 March 2004, Bombardier announced a major European restructuring of its train operations. 1,362 jobs were to go in the UK, as three plants were to close. The Derby bogie plant and the Doncaster maintenance depot would close in 2004, while the Wakefield works refurbishing coaches for GNER would shut in 2005. 200 of the 255 jobs at the small Derby bogie plant would be transferred to the town's other works, which employed 2,301. The town would lose a total of 607 jobs. There would be 1,500 job losses in Germany, 1,350 in Switzerland, 630 in Sweden and 400 in Portugal.
Eurofound (2004), Bombardier Transportation, Internal restructuring in United Kingdom, factsheet number 59242, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/59242.