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.
On 21 June, the supervisory board of the sea passengers and freight transport company SNCM has decided to cut about 205 positions on a total workforce of 1,400. The company will open a voluntary departure plan for 160 employees by 2014 and decides the non-replacement of retirement that would reduce the workforce of about 45 positions per year for the next three years. The other positions will be cut due an increase of working time flexibility that will allow reducing the seasonal employment. The plan will also reduce some bonus to reduce the labour cost.
The long term plan is to cut 515 positions by 2019, including 415 in 2014, but mainly seasonal employment. The management took the commitment to avoid dismissals or forced redundancies of permanent employees. This decision is taken in the framework of a restructuring plan to restore the competitiveness with a new commercial policy and a renewal of the boats.
Eurofound (2013), SNCM, Internal restructuring in France, factsheet number 75551, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/75551.