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.
Finnair Tekniikka, a maintenance subsidiary of air carrier Finnair, has announced redundancies of up to 280 employees. The company has started negotiations with employee representatives on the cuts.
The redundancies result from Finnair's decision to outsource its engine maintenance to a Swiss company. The company states that the volume of its engine maintenance activities is not sufficient to maintain competitiveness. In 2011, Finnair stopped selling maintenance services to other airlines and reduced 450 jobs (see previous announcement). The company will still keep daily maintenance activities.
Finnair's unions reacted to the news of further cuts with a walk-out. Employee representatives have stressed the resulting risks to Finnair and the country as important skills may be lost in the long run.
Eurofound (2012), Finnair Tekniikka, Offshoring/Delocalisation in Finland, factsheet number 73451, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/73451.