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.
Nokia, a Finnish mobile phone producer, has announced the dismissal of 2,300 employees at its Hungarian unit in Komárom following a review of its operations in the region. The dismissals are part of its global strategy: the Finnish company will dismiss 4000 employees in total from its units in Finland, Hungary and Mexico and outsource its production in Asia (see here).
The 2,300 reported dismissals are redundancies of employees directly employed by Nokia. However, the company employs a further 2,100 temporary agency workers in Komárom. Since the authorities are not required to be notified about the dismissal of temporary agency workers, there is no official information on how they will be affected.
Negotiations with the social partners have just started and the company assures that they will provide the affected employees with a support program including financial and reemployment support measures.
UPDATE 26.06.2012: The second wave of the dismissals have started. In March 2012, 1,200 employees have been made redundant, in June a further 900 jobs will be cut. There remaining 2,300 will be notified until the end of 2012.
Eurofound (2012), Nokia, Offshoring/Delocalisation in Hungary, factsheet number 73080, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/73080.