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.
Sis, a large construction consortium, announced 200 layoffs at the construction site of the railway bypass linking Palermo to the city airport.
The decision follows a dispute between the company and the contractor over the possible increase of the value of construction works. This is increase is attributed to environmental and geological problems leading to the closure of some works and requiring deviations from the initial plan.
The exits would affect the largest part of construction workers currently working on the site, while about 50 blue-collar workers and 20 clerks appointed on the order will keep their jobs.
Unions are organising demonstrations and call for local and national authorities to intervene in order to ensure a quick prosecution of works.
Update, 06/04/2017: Unions obtained a reduction of dismissals to 175. The company also underwrote to continue with the construction works and not to subcontract the activities. There is hope that further jobs will be saved with the relaunch of the works for the railway bypass.
Eurofound (2016), Sis, Internal restructuring in Italy, factsheet number 91257, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/91257.