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.
The retail company Sma, owner of the supermarket chain Simply, announced the start of a collective dismissal procedure for 264 workers employed in its stores in Sicily. The dismissals will take place in the next 4 months.
According to the company, the decision is due to the contraction of consumption levels in the region and the consequent revenues reduction. Since these factors are structural, Sma argued it is not in the position to set in place alternative solutions to the collective dismissal of redundant workers.
Trade unions argue that the company is seeking to reduce the workforce because it is being acquired and a small workforce would be attractive for the buyer. The unions started mobilising against the company's decision and asked for negotiations.
Eurofound (2019), Sma, Internal restructuring in Italy, factsheet number 97650, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/97650.