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.
Continental, a producer of tyres and automotive technology, announced on 22 November 2005 the end of the car tyre production at its plant in Hannover. According to Continental, Hannover is the smallest and most expensive of its car tyre plants. With demand growing less strongly than expected and overcapacity building up, the management had no choice but to close the Hannover plant, it was reported. Just a few months ago, workers had accepted longer working hours in order to save their jobs. Trade union IG BCE has announced resistance to Continental's plans. On 06 December 2006, it was announced that the management of Continental and its works' council concluded a social plan. The social plan specifies that altogether 370 jobs will be lost, 320 jobs as mentioned before at the plant in Hannover.
Eurofound (2005), Continental AG, Closure in Germany, factsheet number 62543, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/62543.