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.
Polish producer of rolling stocks Newag announced that it will cut 100 jobs at its plant in Nowy Sącz by the end of 2015.
The company has already implemented a collective dismissal programme. Despite intensive negotiations, the local trade unions have not accepted the company’s proposition to implement a flexible and shortened working hours timetable until business recovery; in the referendum conducted by the trade unions, the crew refused that solution. Redundant workers will receive a severance pay. The restructuring programme might continue in 2016.
The lay-off programme is associated with an unsuccessful bid which failed to secure a new contract. Newag has two plants in Poland (Nowy Sącz and Gliwice) and employs almost 2,000 people.
Eurofound (2015), Newag, Internal restructuring in Poland, factsheet number 86032, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/86032.