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.
Dutch dairy company Friesland Campina will cut between 335 and 375 jobs by 2018 at its production plants in Beilen and Leeuwarden in a bid to lower production costs and improve efficiency.
Between 210 and 230 jobs will be cut at the Beilen site, which currently employs 767 people. According to estimations, between 115 and 125 of the affected workers are on temporary contracts, another 90 are employed on permanent contracts and finally 15 job cuts will achieved through natural attrition.
Between 125 and 145 jobs are expected to be cut in Leeuwarden out of a total workforce of 852. The job cuts will affect 60-70 employees on permanent contracts, 40-45 employees on temporary contracts and 25 employees will be offered retirement packages. The trade unions have been informed and a social plan is already in place but some adjustments are required.
Eurofound (2015), Friesland Campina , Internal restructuring in Netherlands, factsheet number 83713, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/83713.