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.
French tyre manufacturer Michelin has announced the creation of 119 jobs in its plant at Blavozy (Haute-Loire) by the end of 2018 and an investment plan of about €70 million for the period 2018-2022. Of the 119 new positions, 95 are already filled. According to the manager, the job creations surpass the number of natural attritions, i.e., workers who leave for reasons of retirement. The company has expanded several times within France over the past years, in 2010, 2011, 2013, inMay 2016 at La Roche-sur-Yon (Vendée), in December 2016 at its Cholet plant (100 job creations), in March 2017 (210 jobs at its plant in Blanzy - Saône-et-Loire) and in October 2017 (100 jobs in its plant at La Roche-sur-Yon). Job cuts were also recorded in 2009 and 2013. Michelin has recently announced a plan to restructure one of its sites in Clermont-Ferrand, with a site closure by the end 2017 and a reorganisation of its engineering department by 2018. In January 2017, Michelin agreed the non-replacement of a hundred retirements within five years at its Vannes site.
Eurofound (2018), Michelin, Business expansion in France, factsheet number 94547, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/94547.