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.
EDB Business Partner, headquartered in Oslo, delivers solutions that cover a full range of business-critical IT services. On 21 April 2009, the company announced extensive cost-cutting measures in an effort to save NOK 400 millions. Around 350 of 700 external consultants have already left the company. The management is now negotiating with the unions a reduction of 100 to 150 jobs in Norway.
Endre Rangnes, CEO of EDB, said that the downsizing may involve temporary lay-offs, wage freeze, wage reductions and revised pension schemes. He also announced a move of operations from the Nordic countries to the subsidiaries in Ukraine and India which may affect more jobs in Scandinavia.
As negotiations are not finished, nothing more can be said about the timeline and number of actual dismissals. The chief shop steward reacted strongly in Aftenposten/E24 to the announcement that was released before negotiations had started, and stated that this is a violation of the Basic Agreement. He also said that he does not agree with the suggestions to change the new pension agreement and criticised the announced move of operations to Ukraine and India.
The group has around 3,200 employees in Norway and 6,000 worldwide.
Eurofound (2009), EDB Business Partner, Internal restructuring in Norway, factsheet number 68732, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/68732.