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 food producer Scan will reorganise its business in Sweden and dismiss 383 workers in 2010. After negotiations with the trade unions, the number of blue-collar jobs to be cut in Skara was reduced from 300 to 255 out of 700. Additionally, 10 workers will retire, 96 will be reassigned to other duties and 42 agreed on being relocated to Scan's plant in Kristianstad. The plant in Uppsala, where 100 people are employed, will be closed by April 2010. This is due to over-capacities and international competition, the company said.
HKScan is a food company operating in nine countries in northern Europe with approximately 10,000 employees. Annual net sales are at €2.3 billion. Scan manufactures and sells pork and beef, poultry products, processed meat and convenience food produces.
According to the press release, the slaughter and cutting of beef and lamb will be centralised in Linköping, while the majority of pork slaughter and cutting will take place in Kristianstad. The production of consumer packed meat will transfer from Uppsala to Linköping. The company may be able to offer some employees new jobs in Kristianstad or Linköping.
Eurofound (2009), Scan, Internal restructuring in Sweden, factsheet number 69930, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/69930.