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.
Manuel Camacho, a perfume manufacturer based in Catalonia and that works for Group Puig, Coty Astor and Schleker, announced on 13 October 2006 that it will close its plants in L´Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona) and Montornès del Vallès (Barcelona) and will only maintain its plant in Castellví de Rosanes (Barcelona). The company exports its products to the EU15.
The total number of employees in the three plants is 170 and these two closures will mean the dismissal of 114 employees (70% of its staff).
The trade unions have stated that one of its clients, Schleker, has reduced its orders due to increased competition from China but that the number of dismissals is in any case too high.
Eurofound (2006), Manuel Camacho, Internal restructuring in Spain, factsheet number 64429, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/64429.