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.
The private security company Segur Ibérica has announced that will implement an employment adjustment measure affecting less than 10% of its entire workforce (4,000 workers). The measure will only affect the administrative and management areas. According to the source, workers in charge of operative functions associated to security services will not be affected. The consultation process with the trade unions will start on 25thNovember. Details on the measures will be notified then. The company will also implement alternative measures to reduce the staff such as relocations.
Update 9-03-2017
Segur Iberica is going to close. The decision has been published in the Official State Bulletin. The initial number of dismissal announced as well as the categories of workers to be affected will not be modified. The remaining workers have been re-employed in the private security companies that have obtained the contracts that Segur Iberica had. Segur Iberica had contracts with relevant companies such as ADIF, AENA or Prado Museum. The company argues that the closure has been determined by the increase in labour costs agreed in the last national collective agreement.
Update 11-05-2017
Segur Ibérica has sold its productive units to the company I-SEC International Security once the company has implemented an employment adjustment affecting 2000 workers. Most of the affected workers will be relocated to I-SEC International Security. There are 170 workers that will not be relocated and, accordingly, can be considered as direct dismissals. There are also 190 workers that, according to the trade unions, are still pendent to be relocated. The trade union CSIF has announced that it will monitor that relocated workers keep their working conditions.
Eurofound (2016), Segur Ibérica, Merger/Acquisition in Spain, factsheet number 89121, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/89121.