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.
Manuli Rubber Industries is to close its plant located at Campolungo, in the province of Ascoli Piceno, with the consequent loss of 376 jobs. According to the company, the closure - announced in August 2009 - is mainly due to the economic crisis. After several negotiations, at the end of October the company and the main sectoral trade unions - with the support of the Ministry of the Economic Development - reached an agreement that envisaged the recourse to the Wages Guarantee Fund schemes and to economic incentives for voluntary resignations for 236 workers (while 140 workers would have maintained their jobs). At the beginning of November, the workers have refused the agreement, and consequently the company has started the collective dismissals procedures for all the workers employed in the Campolungo's plant. Manuli Rubber Industries manufactures fluid conveying rubber and metal components for high pressure hydraulics and oil & marine applications and hydraulic components.
Eurofound (2009), Manuli Rubber Industries, Closure in Italy, factsheet number 69954, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/69954.