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.
Automotive logistics company Gefco group has informed its central Works Council about the intention to cut 301 positions and to create another 70, which will lead to a net job reduction of 231 positions. This third social plan in three years (see below) will impact the road transport (OVL), warehousing and packaging, and support functions.
According to the main union FO, around 90 positions would be cut within the support functions through a centralisation of administrative, financial and HR services, due to a reduction of the number of logistic platforms from 6 to 4. The information, and consultation meetings are scheduled until the 25 July. The first departures may occur in August 2017. The union FO announced that its goal will be to reduce as far as possible the number of forced dismissals, as job cuts will mainly affect employees from 20 to 35 years of seniority.
Gefco already reduced its workforce in 2011 with 472 job cuts across three divisions (road freight transport, storage and international transport services). This was signed in July 2015 by Gefco's four trade unions (CGC, CFDT, CFTC and FO). In 2016, Gefco announced a social plan to cut 157 positions and create 23. The group employs about 14,000 people worldwide and about 2,800 in France. Gefco is a former subsidiary of the car manufacturer PSA Peugeot-Citröen. It was sold to the Russian railway company RZD in 2012.
Eurofound (2017), GEFCO, Internal restructuring in France, factsheet number 91007, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/91007.