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.
Société de Véhicules Automobiles de Batilly (Sovab), a subsidiary of the Renault group, announced that it will recruit 400 employees at its plant in Batilly (Meurthe-et-Moselle) specialised in the manufacturing of utility vehicles. The plant has already recruited 108 employees in May 2016 but needs to increase its workforce by an additional 400 recruits on short-term employment contracts with a length of 6 to 12 months, in order to manage increasing production volumes its "Master" utility vehicle. Sovab has offered permanent positions to a number of its temporary workers during the last wave of recruitment, and is now seeking for employees on the labour market with the support of the pubic employment service (Pôle emploi). No specific qualifications are required. All new employees will receive 4 weeks of training. In April 2012, Sovab announced that it would reduce its production from 500 to 422 vehicles with the cut of 313 temporary contracts out of a total of 440.
Eurofound (2016), Société de Véhicules Automobiles de Batilly, Business expansion in France, factsheet number 88156, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/88156.