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.
On October 8, print machine manufacturer Heidelberger Druckmaschinen announced the dismissal of 4,000 workers. The plan is a revision of an earlier announcement of 5,000 redundancies.
In 2008, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, the leading manufacturer of printing machines, announced a restructuring progamme to save EUR 400 million by 2010/2011. The plan was said to involve the elimination of up to 5,000 global jobs (including 3,000 jobs in Germany).
On 8 October 2009, results of an agreements settled by management, works council and the metalworkers' union IG Metall became known. The 2008 cost saving programme is to stay, but 4,000 instead of 5,000 jobs will be cut. Management said that about planned 1,000 job cuts are compensated by reductions in agreed pay schemes and by flexibilized working time arrangements.
A social plan covers about 1,300 workers in Germany who may transfer to a job creation agency starting 1 March 2010. Another 200 workers are said to leave their jobs voluntarily. In total, about 2,800 jobs are cut in Germany. The remaining 1,200 jobs are located in distribution and service centres around the world (no precise information). Heidel Druck has been cutting jobs since the beginning of this year.
On 12 October 2009, negotiations concerning a merger of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen and Manroland failed. The plans were first pushed by Allianz Capital Partners, a German private equity of insurer Allianz holding 65% of Manroland and 12% of Heideldruck. Experts assume that the plans failed because of Heideldruck's business situation.
Eurofound (2009), Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, Internal restructuring in World, factsheet number 69677, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/69677.