Leo is a very articulate and amusing correspondent who writes with a verve that the real MOL would not be able to achieve.I am sure his posts are designed to be provocative and in this aim he succeeds very well;however,although his central topic is normally Ryanair there are evidently parallels with orangeworld.
I worked for easy for six years and in the main,it was not a pleasant experience.The pilots are marginalised to the point of working in a parallel universe with minimal contact with the rest of the airline.The business focus was always profit and share price;flight safety and technical competence was brushed to the side and left to the 'chaps down the road'.The pilot share option schemes were 'crumbs from the table' subject to full 40% tax;the directors/senior managers were on the 'approved scheme' -strangely enough no tax due to the local horse trading with HMRC -I think you get the picture.The core business plan was and probably still is driven by greed -the now so very fashionable deadly sin demonstrated by the bankers and elected politicians.
As Leo says it is probably not a brilliant plan to go on strike in the current economic atmosphere.To get to the point:food was unambiguously paid for by the pilots in negotiated settlement some years back;I know the ex cc chairman still works for easy and would I am sure point you in the right direction.Our negotiated settlement of the time included a percentage pay increase minus a sum deducted for the privilege of having execrable crew food.This did not include the cabin staff but I believe it was felt that this would hardly be fair due to their paltry income.
I think the easy pilot community need robust leadership from Balpa coupled with a united pilot workforce.A good starting point would be to publically highlight the avarice and hypocrisy of the directors/managers.A recurring theme in the modern British business/political landscape.
All the best to current easy pilots