There are as amny similarities as there are differences between EZY and RYR, and having worked for both, I am in a position to know (before anyone starts casting apertions).
The standards of crew and trg are similar, as is the type of flying. Rostering at RYR is far superior, but EZY have a better system for leave. Pay is better at RYR, though there are less benefits (RYR pilots still come out reasonably well ahead of their counterparts after paying all their own pensions and insurances though).
I, and my fellow defectors, have also found the working environment far less political and hypocritcal than our previous employer, though there is an unneccessary level of corporate agression. It really is swings and roundabouts, but most of us that have worked for both have a strong preference for yellow and blue.
I do take strong exception to Vfenext's "gash" remark. The stories he bases that remark on are mostly exageraed or fabricated, mostly (I suspect) by EZY mgmt. It's a dirty side to corporate tactics that all companies get involved with, but with
PR being less of a priority in RYR than cost base, the mud sticks better and gets washed off less often than in the spin obsessed EZY.
We are all professionals, and I view it as a personal insult that I would work for a gash operator. I did have concerns on joining RYR, as there is often fire behind so much smoke, but I was suprised at just how unfounded the compan'y reputation is - it is actually very well controlled and has operational standards very similar to EZY, with a similarly healthy level of professionalism by the crews. Maybe if Vref had ever been to RYR, or spoken with anyone who works there, he wouldn't have posted such a daft remark.
EZY certainly can be a good place if it wants to, and many bases have a fair standard of morale, but it's patchy, with terrible conditions and morale in LTN. RYR seems generally more level, and is generally on par with the best of the EZY bases. It's good, even if it's not to everyones' taste.