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.
3M, the American manufacturer of office and packaging stationery and related products, has announced to close its plant at Beauchamp (Val d'Oise), which employs 280 people. The site has been experiencing losses for many years, leading to job cuts in 2009. The company has submitted an "industrial reorganisation project" indicating that steps to "identify buyers are being undertaken now".
The date of the first departures is not announced, but the shutdown of production activities and the closure of the site are scheduled for the first quarter of 2019. However, the first employment effect, early retirement or retirements positions not being replaced, will start when the social plan will be adopted, between July and September 2017. Negotiations with trade unions are under way. About 214 job cuts are expected as of the 280 employees, 66 technicians should be transferred to the headquarter in Cergy (Val d'Oise).
3M has been operating in France since 1952 and employs 2,400 on 10 production and logistic sites. It employs 90,000 employees worldwide and has a turnover of €30 billion.
Eurofound (2017), 3M, Closure in France, factsheet number 91339, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/91339.