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.
Autoeuropa, a car manufacturer, will let go of 254 temporary employment agency workers in Portugal as a result of the global slowdown in demand for the car industry.
The 254 workers (who represent 8.5% of the workforce) will stop working at the plant in February and will then be offered professional training programs, specific to the car sector, under a program set up by the Portuguese government.
The company’s spokeswoman declares that this situation should not be interpreted as a sign of difficulties or of dangers to the plant's viability. The Autoeuropa plant, with about 3,000 workers, produces four models: the multi-purpose vehicles VW Sharan and Seat Alhambra, as well as the VW Eos and the VW Scirocco.
The Portuguese authorities had previously applied for aid from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF).
Eurofound (2009), Autoeuropa, Internal restructuring in Portugal, factsheet number 67868, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/67868.