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.
Keller has announced the closure of its plant located in Palermo, with the loss of around 200 jobs. The trade unions reacted to the company's decision by going out on strike. Moreover the workers have organised some protests blockading the railway for some hours on 26 January.
Keller is one of the major players within the Italian rolling stock manufacturers, and designs, produces and revamps railway rolling stocks, both for passenger and goods transportation. In Italy it has two production plants: one located in Sardinia, the other one in Sicily. Overall the company has around 500 employees.
Updated, 26/05/2014: As reported, redundant workers of Keller may be hired by the Spanish company Talgo. Trade unions are ‘really concerned’: the extraordinary wages guarantee (CIG) will last until 5 August. If a positive solution is not found, the workers will no longer have a job. A meeting will be held in the next days in the presence of representatives of the regional government.
Eurofound (2010), Keller, Closure in Italy, factsheet number 70121, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/70121.