Lets look at this properly!
RYR have not stoped the day off payment. If I am asked to work a day off, and I accept, they will pay me £230 net of tax. They will also pay me sector pay for the day. That can easily be another £100 - £200 net of tax. Total easily more than £400 net. (after tax)
They have always tried to talk people into things like swaping the day to another day off instead of the £230 and some have been daft enough to accept.
The memo was asking for volunteers, thats why they were not offering the payment. I guess they got very few volunteers and eventualy had to call people and ask them if they would work for the normal payment.
All of the above only applies to employed pilots as the contractors are all self employed and get paid by the hour on any day they work.
I expect they may have been inundated by contractors of course as they can easily earn up to £1500 a day. Yes tough I know but someone has to do it!