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.
After a range of restructuring measures and after several months of workers' protests, the German car supplier Karmann filed for insolvency in April 2009. Plans by the administrator included the closing of the machine tool division and the loss of 513 out of the remaining 1,979 jobs.
In June 2009 the negotiations between the administrator, the works council and the metalworkers' union IG Metall came to an end. On 16 June IG Metall announced that 300 out of 1,979 jobs at the Osnabrück site will be cut and that the machine tool division is to remain open. In return, the administorator demands a 30% decrease in labour costs. Negotiations on wages and job security will start soon. See fact sheet 12998 for additional information on previous wave of restructuring in the company.
The German authorities applied for aid from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) and it is currently being implemented.
Eurofound (2009), Karmann, Bankruptcy in Germany, factsheet number 69089, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/69089.