widered is very right! What many dont seem to understand is that Ryanair is also setting the future standard for the rest of the aviation industry. Other airlines copy elements of what Ryanair is doing. And you cant blame them. Ryanair is making 500 million profit in times of economical crisis.
People outside Ryanair dont realize the pilots struggle in Ryanair might one day influence their job as well and some pilots inside Ryanair dont seem to realize that although they know they will leave Ryanair some day that not fighting now might later still bite them.
Im not a big fan of unions at all, but come on, whats the alternative? The union is the lesser of two evils for sure here.
Some pilots in Ryanair keep quiet and dont support the union idea because they have what they want, like a base thats suits them, decent money, etc. But will this still be there next year, next week or tomorrow? And who will stop Ryanair from taking it away or closing a base? Therefore unity and a union is the only solution to put an end to Ryanair's illegal and inmoral practices. In my time in Ryanair it never ever got any better. They pretended it did, but if you look it didnt at all. And if the pilots wont do anything it will never change.
Forge the metal when its hot and it seems the metal is warmer than ever now
It seems Ryanair's game is coming to an end as they appear to have overplayed their hand and the funny thing is that they dont seem to even know what is still coming, because many pilots are hired somewhere else but havent resigned from Ryanair yet. The exodus wont stop! It only started and wont stop. And all that management is doing now with getting DEC's in, messing even more with the leave system and screwing with the BRK contracts will open the gates even more. Guaranteed! And also the possiblity with airlines in the Middle East possibly opening for DEC's in the future might turn Ryanair's bad dream in a total nightmare. Im no rocketscientist, but you only have to observe and you see what's going on quite clearly.
Ryanair wont accept a union without a fight ofcourse and will make things maybe even more ugly for a while, but who says they wont do that anyway and then for ever? If you take the pain now the future is more bright. If the pilots dont do nothing then you leave it up to Ryanair how your future will look.
Pilots in Ryanair, high to low, brand new cadets, BRK pilots or not, JOIN IALPA or its sister unions asap and stop the abuse and deterioration of your terms and working conditions.
Good luck!