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.
Coca Cola HBC Italia announced its intention to dismiss 306 workers. Layoffs will affect 249 employees of the sales department all around the country. Other 57 workers carrying out administrative support activities for the sales department will lose their jobs following the decision to close down the plant located in Campogalliano (Modena).
Unions highlight that in the last three years, over 1,000 jobs were lost. Workforce decreased from more than 3,000 to about 2,000. As reported, during a meeting held in July, the company refused the request of trade unions to withdraw the collective dismissal procedure. Meetings will be held in the upcoming weeks.
Updated, 11-09-2014: Coca Cola HBC Italia and trade unions signed an agreement aimed at avoiding redundancies at Campogalliano’s plant through relocations (23 workers) and teleworking (10 employees). Other employees will benefit wages guarantee fund (the so-called 'CIGS') until 31 October 2015. These ones could also benefit of redundancy incentives. According to the source, 69 voluntary dismissals will occur in the sales department. Negotiations are ongoing about the rest 180 redundancies.
Updated, 26-09-2014: An agreement was reached among Coca Cola HBC Italia and trade unions. A total number of 160 workers will be dismissed instead of the 249 planned. Trade unions obtained that dismissals will not be based on technical reasons but giving priority to voluntary dismissals and early retirements. According to the company, 75 employees have already declared their intention to join the voluntary dismissal procedure.
Eurofound (2014), Coca Cola HBC Italia, Internal restructuring in Italy, factsheet number 77362, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/77362.