Despite the wholly negative view displayed by supersad and others, this is not quite the stitch-up being presented here. Nonetheless, although I do not think that this will be based on sickness rates etc, it is still not as it should be. The system has been tweaked to ensure that the ex-BMI guys are given a ludicrously unfair advantage in the selection process. The only way to do this was seniority based on date of joining. Instead we have a system where management preference based on far-from-transparent criteria are used. If a pilot is good enough to fly the line with easyJet and is not subject to disciplinary action or professional failings that are clearly documented, then there can be no reason not to offer them a permanent job.
Supersad - you used to work for Ryanair and hated it there. You now work for easyJet and hate it here. May I strongly recommend you find a new employer very quickly from the wide range who are recruiting right now. Maybe the week after you start, just before you start hating them too, you might want to grace us with the the odd positive comment, lest our readers unwisely regard you as a negative individual.