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.
The largest technology company in the world Hewlett-Packard has announced that there will be between 700 - 800 job cuts at its manufacturing plant in Erskine, near Glasgow, Scotland. The company, which currently employs 1300 people at the site, the majority of whom are agency workers, plans to relocate production to a partner organisation in the Czech Republic in 2010; the downturn in the European technology market was blamed. The plans were submitted to the European Works Council, and consultation regarding the job losses will begin in the latter part of June 2009. Local MP Jim Sheridan said 'It is disgusting. These workers are being tossed aside after helping to make vast profits for Hewlett. After meeting with management and staff, Finance secretary John Swinney confirmed that the company will 'cooperate in efforts to help find new job or retraining opportunities for staff affected'. The UK government has also offered to discuss possible ways of supporting the company's Scottish operations. This news follows closely on from the loss of 153 jobs in January of this year.
For further information, see the EIRO report.
Eurofound (2009), Hewlett-Packard, Offshoring/Delocalisation in United Kingdom, factsheet number 69029, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/69029.