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.
Hansen Transmissions, the manufacturer of of gearboxes for wind turbines, has sold one of its division in Edegem to the Japanese Sumitomo. The new buyer is interested in the takeover of the plant only if 122 jobs are cut (72 blue-collar jobs and 50 white-collar jobs).
Negotiations with the trade unions are being held to discuss the redundancy scheme. A trade union spokesperson stated that takeover itself did not come as a surprise; however, fewer jobs were expected to be lost in the process.
Eurofound (2010), Hansen Transmission, Merger/Acquisition in Belgium, factsheet number 71069, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/71069.