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.
Estonian oil shale mining company Eesti Energia Kaevandused, a subsidiary of the state energy company Eesti Energia, is closing down its Viru oil-shale mine. Among the 460 employees now working in Viru mine, 100 will retire, 100 will be made redundant and 260 will be relocated to Narva quarry (another Eesti Energia Kaevandused mine) or to the company’s logistics site.
There were environmental as well as economic reasons behind the closure of the mine. The technology used in the mine is from the 1950s. In addition, the geology of the mine has deteriorated with an effect on the economic sustainability of the site.
The company has started cooperation with Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund already a year ago to relocate as many employees working in Viru mine to other sites within the company. However, the company was not able to offer employment elsewhere within the company to all affetced employees. For those made redundant, the company has set up a support fund. The fund includes a pension scheme as well as a scholarship for re-training and informative classes about different re-training and job opportunities.
Eurofound (2013), Eesti Energia Kaevandused, Closure in Estonia, factsheet number 75478, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/75478.