Let us presume for the moment that FR wants to grow into larger aircraft, and leave the 737's aside altogether.
So, they decide on 767's and offer the alternative to pilots...either pay for your rating, or we hire from outside, as there seem to be plenty of folks available, from FR's perspective of course...true or not.
Now, what do you do?
Pay for your conversion, or go elsewhere?
FR has no legal obligation to its pilots to pay for the conversion, and indeed hiring from outside is always presumed to be cheaper...which it most certainly nearly always is.
So, now substitute 767's for 737-700/800/900's and you have more or less the same situation, except of course it may well be a bit more difficult (maybe nearly impossible) to find currently rated pilots.
An interesting scenario...pay up, or quit.
Oh yes, and NO union, thank you very much.
Suspect MOL may well get away with this, unless he is run over by a cement truck.
And, quite frankly, I think I would do the same, considering some of the aggressive comments listed here.
Pay up...or goodbye.
Simply because I could, under Irish employment law, as it presumably stands.