Ryanair defends employment terms against pilot complaints
Ryanair has become involved in a fresh row with disgruntled pilots over employment conditions.
The Ryanair Pilot Group (RPG), which represents captains and co-pilots working for the airline, raised grievances over alleged changes to terms and conditions for aviators moving bases or undergoing command upgrades.
Ryanair has said its pilots enjoy the best security of employment of any in Europe and added it complied fully with Irish company and employment law.
An update on dealings with management, published by the Pilot Group this month, said: “Nothing is going to change for us as pilots until we stand together to show management that our terms & conditions of employment are no longer acceptable.
“If we do not change our mentality towards each other as a group, we will continue to individually suffer decreasing conditions with no bottom in sight.”
The group, which is not recognised by Ryanair, has made a series of allegations about the airline’s treatment of its staff.
These include claims the airline decreased terms and conditions for pilots moving bases or undergoing command upgrades.
David O’Brien, director of flight and ground operations at Ryanair, wrote to the Pilot Group and said it complied fully with Irish company and employment law.
He said: “Under the Irish constitution, Ryanair pilots are free to join any groups they wish but this will not restrict the constitutional right of Ryanair and its people to negotiate directly on their terms and conditions which have ensured that Ryanair pilots continue to enjoy perhaps the best security of employment of any pilots in Europe.”
Ryanair spokesman Robin Kiely said: “There is no RPG and any pilots who are unhappy at Ryanair are free to leave, as we have over 3,000 pilots waiting to join.”
