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.
Iacobucci MK, a daughter company of Iacobucci HF Aerospace, opened a collective dismissal procedure for its 154 workers at the plant of Lecce.
The group, specialised in the manufacture of accessories and devices for airplanes, acquired the site in 2011 from British American Tobacco (Bat), hiring back a relevant share of workers dismissed by the latter (see BatIT-2011).
Yet, despite financial support from Bat, the proposed investment plan did not take place. Instead, the company was affected by a reduction of orders and, last year, eventually underwent insolvency proceedings.
The affected blue-collar workers have been placed under the temporary unemployment scheme and are now expected to lose their job as of the beginning of May, when the temporary unemployment benefits are to expire.
Workers are holding sit-ins, while negotiations are ongoing at the Ministry of Economic Development’s premises to find alternative plans for the site.
Update, 06/05/2016: The company confirmed the 154 exits. Redundant workers will receive the ordinary unemployment benefits (the so-called 'mobility allowance').
Eurofound (2016), Iacobucci MK, Bankruptcy in Italy, factsheet number 91239, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/91239.