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.
Canadian manufacturer of aircraft and trains, Bombardier, has announced plans to cut approximately 1,750 jobs in Canada and the UK. The cuts come in response to weak demand for its Global 5000 and 6000 aircraft. The cuts are to begin in June 2015 and will continue until the first quarter of 2016. 1,000 of the losses will be in the main operations centre in Montreal, a further 480 in Toronto, and up to 280 in Belfast where the company currently employs approximately 6,000 workers.
Bombardier has stated that the cuts in Belfast will mostly affect the temporary workforce, and that it intends to avoid compulsory redundancies within its permanent workforce. It has stated that up to 60 jobs in Belfast could be retained via redeployment.
The cuts come in addition to extensive cuts in recent years, reflecting insufficient profits, including job losses of 4,550 in the aerospace and support divisions since last July. Some sources suggest that further cuts are to be expected, but Bombardier refused to comment.
Eurofound (2015), Bombardier, Internal restructuring in World, factsheet number 83558, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/83558.