easyJet Employing Contract Captains in Summer 2010
My spies tell me that while it is all smiles and reconciliation at Hangar 89, behind the scenes easyJet management have made plans to employ 75 contract captains for the 2010 summer season. I cannot verify this yet as I have had only one source, but it did come 'straight from the horse's mouth'.
Furthermore, easyJet have approached Oxford Air Training to provde low-houred and, by definition, very cheap pilots to undertake type-rating training early in the new year. They must be willing to work at both UK and European bases on a contract basis. The cost of the deal to the aspiring pilot is around £30k and for his troubles, he receives a low pay and the chance to fly as an FO for easyJet. Alas, predictably there is a significant uptake of young people to this scheme who are willing to work for no guarantee whatsoever of permanent employment at the end, Tesco shop assistant wages in the meantime and a massive increase in their already-significant debt.
Both these plans are in keeping with the policies of the 'Roland Berger Report', which is a document commissioned by easyJet management detailing how to emulate Ryanair practices and costs. A key feature of the report was the de-unionisation of the company through temporary contracts and sub-contracted work, which meant that many of the pilots flying for the company would not actually be easyJet employees.
Last edited by Alexander de Meerkat; 17th Dec 2009 at 10:46.