Making money or not has nothing to do with unions.
Ryanair is probably the ONLY airline in Europe with no Unions (YET..)
But Ryanair is far from being the only airline making money in Europe.
The fact Ryanair's management is having such a great time at the moment with contracts is widely due to the fact this country has benefited from Europe's aids and largesse in order to prop up the economy : more liberal, receiving more aid from Europe than anybody else.
Another reason for Ryanair's success is...public subsidies. Which is very amazing when you consider Ryanair promotes a more liberal way to work. Which means MOL and his sad colleagues do not apply what they preach for. Public subsidies from French regions for instance. Ryanair receives millions from France. No wonder Ryanair can offer such low prices. THerefore, nothing to call home about...
Now things are about to change with a major questionning of the Irish specificity within Europe and of aids which are not justified anymore.
Unions do exist within Europe but they will in the end. That's about as certain as day light will come tomorrow. Nobody believed in the soviet system's breakdown 20 years ago. Well, it did happen.