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.
Alstom, the French railway rolling-stock manufacturer, announced plans to cut 150 jobs at its production site in Bruges, Belgium, as part of an internal restructuring driven by a shortage of new orders. The Bruges facility currently employs 585 workers, including both permanent and temporary staff, and will remain operational following the workforce reduction. The company’s site in Charleroi is not affected by the restructuring.
The collective dismissal will follow the Renault procedure, with discussions starting after the New Year. The job cuts are expected to begin from mid-2026. Earlier this year, Alstom lost a major NMBS-SNCB train order (the Belgian National Railway) to Spanish competitor CAF, raising concerns among unions about the future of the Bruges plant. Although management denies this as the direct cause, unions remain sceptical.
Eurofound (2025), Alstom, Internal restructuring in Belgium, factsheet number 203844, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/203844.