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.
German cable network operator Unitymedia announced plans to cut about 500 jobs. According to the company, job cuts are due to a decrease in global demand. Mainly, Unitymedia wants to digitise the business and expand its online services. Moreover, according to the company restructuring measures have become necessary as the company wants to enhance efficiency, customer friendliness and its capacities more generally.
Executive board and employee representatives will start to negotiate about the terms of restructuring at the end of May. The works council is aiming to reduce the job cuts sharply. In 2012, Untymedia had to cut jobs due to the merger with Kabel BW (see 06.2012).
Unitymedia, headquartered in Cologne, currently employs 2,700 staff.
Eurofound (2016), Unitymedia, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 87396, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/87396.