I don't want to dump on FR pilot employees who are undoubtedly suffering at the moment. But it simply has to be said that there are still a number of "scams" practised by Ryanair that have not been fully identified here - but that does not say that potential applicants have not, in effect, been warned repeatedly.
Neither does it say that there are not more than sufficient warnings here on prune for anyone who wants to listen (try doing a search here using the word "Ryanair" - it would take you about a week to read it all, but many of the threads provide very clear reading and warnings). Every story may not be literally true, but there is a point at which you have to be pretty dumb not to notice certain recurring themes, even on a rumour network.
The reality - which Ryanair counts on - is that there is always somebody who is willing to work for less than somebody else. Remarkably, Ryanair have even managed to employ captains, not to mention co-pilots, on quite low money at a time of pilot shortage. Salaries for permanent (note that) pilot employees continue to drop.
Here is what everybody needs to know: Last year (2004) a number of managers were informed that their pay would reflect the success of their efforts to reduced pilot costs (most definitely including pay). So people, WAKE UP. This means that a pilot who works for nothing is contributing to the management bonus of a very small group of managers. (You know them by their willingness to "deal directly" with you and "negotiate/offer" a deal that turns out to be worse than your colleagues). Any notion that the highly fragmented FR pilot group can hope to avoid the steady erosion of their income and conditions in the short term is living in a world of delusion. (Just after posting, I noted the post immediately above - it provides telling testimony to [a] this fragmentation, and [b] somebody who may also be living in a world of delusion).
The only group giving Ryanair a run for their money are the pilots in Dublin. Had they not fought back even the 3% paid earlier this year to FR pilots based elsewhere would not have been available (to try to persuade the others of the "value" of ERC's! Before some management lackey appears to tell us, yes I know it was not paid to the Dublin pilots.... but I'll think I'd bet they will get it in the end ... ).