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.
SPBT Barre Thomas, manufacturer of motor equipment and supplier to PSA Peugeot Citroen in Rennes is laying off 248 people. The company was bought out by Silver Point, a private American company with hedge fund interests, in 2006. At the time the company employed 1650 people. A condition of the buyout was that the new owners would not reduce the workforce below 1250 people before July 2009. With a current workforce of 1300 and announced redundancies of 248 it appears unlikely that the company will be able to abide by the condition.
Eurofound (2008), Barre Thomas, Internal restructuring in France, factsheet number 68367, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/68367.