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.
Alcatel-Lucent, the Franco-American telecommunications equipment manufacturer, announced on 23 February 2007 its plans to cut between 1,468 and 1,500 jobs in France within the next two years (until February 2009) as part of its global restructuring programme. In this sense, the French plan confirms the world programme announced in April 2006. The figure represents about 12% of the company's workforce in France. In February the company saw industrial action in France with around half of the workforce going on strike. Workers also demonstrated when the CEO took part at the 3GSM trade fair in Barcelona. The management of the group's French subsidiary has promised that restructuring will not involve forced redundancies. On 24 May 2007, the CEO confirmed to the members of the work's council that 1,468 jobs will be cut and announced the creation of 188 jobs in 'sectors in growth'.
Eurofound (2007), Alcatel-Lucent, Merger/Acquisition in France, factsheet number 64921, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/64921.