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.
Manufacturer of fridges and ovens Diehl Ako wants to cut jobs in order to remain competitive in a sector that is characterised by high margin pressure. After announcing the loss of 426 jobs at 3 factories in Southern Germany, the management has entered negotiations with trade union IG Metall which agreed to a longer working-week for Diehl's employees. In return, the management has agreed to cut fewer jobs than announced, that is 314 instead of 426.
Eurofound (2005), Diehl Ako, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 61999, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/61999.