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 Hungarian subsidiary of German auto parts manufacturer Eckerle announced that it would dismiss more than 200 employees at its Zalaegerszeg plant. This means that nearly all (currently 225 workers) personnel at the plant will lose their jobs, a few could be relocated to other plants. The plant will entirely stop producing in early 2020.
The Eckerle group is a supplier of a variety of auto parts. The Zalaegerszeg production site is specialised on producing carbon brush systems for several parts, for example seat adjustment motors, safety belts, windscreen wiper motors. The decision about the dismissal came from the parent company, due to the steady decline of demand. The dismantling of the production lines has already began. Some of the production equipment will be shipped in two other Eckerle production sites: the Bóly plant in Hungary and the Cluj-Napoca plant in Romania.
The Ministry of Finance says that it will help the dismissed workers to find new jobs immediately, by organising job fairs, group consultations, and exploring job opportunities at nearby firms. The job search may prove relatively easy, since there are nearly 2,000 vacant jobs in the Zalaegerszeg district and some 3,500 vacant jobs in Zala county.
Eurofound (2019), Eckerle Automotive Zala, Closure in Hungary, factsheet number 99487, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/99487.