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.
West LB, the bank of the federal state of North-Rhine Westfalia, realises a costsaving programme and undergoes restructuring to get 'fit for sale' by 2011. The restructuring progamme is result of a EUR 58bn public guarantee and a decision by the EU Commission. From 2007 to the end of 2010 WestLB cuts a total of 1350 international full-time jobs. As of October 2009, 400 jobs are still to go. 950 jobs were cut in 2007 to 2009. The bank is to diminish its total assets by 50% and focus on only three core business activities; the bank will be sold at the end of 2011.
Apart from the bank's headquarters at Düsseldorf, all other sites in North-Rhine Westfalia will be closed. This will affect 120 employees out of 800 in North-Rhine Westfalia. There will be no direct dismissals.There is no precise information on job cuts elsewhere.
The information is to be seen in line with the restructuring of other regional banks. FTD (October 2009) gives the following information on job cuts in 2009/2010: Bank of Bavaria (BayernLB): 5,600 jobs, Bank of Baden-Württemberg: 2,500 jobs, HSH Nordbank: 1,100 jobs.
See related West LB factsheet, 2008
Eurofound (2009), WestLB, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 69668, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/69668.