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.
Childcare provider Estro was declared bankrupt. As announced, the bankruptcy is due to the financial crisis and the government cuts in child care subsidies. Just 3 days later, the group made a restart through a so-called pre-pack construction. All in all, 130 centers were closed, resulting in the loss of 1,000 jobs.
The remaining 250 centres carried on under the new name Small Steps, with 2,600 jobs remaining. According to the sources, the ‘pre-pack’ construction has no legal basis in the Netherlands, and has been criticized, amongst others by the unions, that are preparing a court case.
Eurofound (2014), Estro, Bankruptcy in Netherlands, factsheet number 77421, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/77421.