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.
Jallatte, the French manufacturer of safety shoes, announced on 30 May 2007 that it would shift production activities from its French factories to Tunisia. This decision will bring the loss of 285 out of 336 jobs across its four French production sites: Saint Hippolyte du Fort, Alès (Gard), Breuil sur Couze (Puy de Dôme) and Ennery (Moselle). At the works council meeting on 30 May the CEO did not explain the reasons for the offshoring, to which trade unions and employees reacted by going on strike. On 22 June the new social plan for the shift of production to Tunisia was unveiled which will lead to the loss of 193 jobs between August and December 2007. Founded in 1947 as a rubber boot manufacturer, Jallatte currently produces 1.2 million pairs of safety shoes per year.
Eurofound (2007), Jallatte, Offshoring/Delocalisation in France, factsheet number 65423, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/65423.