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 American multinational Johnson Controls, one of the world leaders supplying car systems, electronics and batteries, announced on 4 October 2006 the closure of two of its Portuguese factories. The Portalegre factory, employing 225 workers, will close in August/September 2007, whereas the one in Nelas, with 625 employees, will close in May/June 2007. The closure is justified by the need to adjust the output capacity in Europe, which will see the activity transfer from Portugal to Slovenia and Germany. This closure will affect 850 workers in total and the company will offer a compensation of two monthly wages per year of service.
Eurofound (2006), Johnson Controls, Offshoring/Delocalisation in Portugal, factsheet number 64810, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/64810.