Say Mach Number and Maybepilot
The reality in Ryanair is that both of your stories are correct!
Being a Ryanair employee myself I can agree with a lot of what Say Mach Number has written, however I have to say that when time came around that we had to "negotiate" a new deal, there was NO negotiating, it was take it or leave it!
Working with and being friend of a lot of contractors I have a pretty good idea what is happening to them and most of it is like you have mentioned Maybepilot!
So yes unfortunately there is a big difference in many aspects between a Ryanair employee and a contractor.
Being so that more than 70% of the pilots are contractors one can understand why so many are frustrated with their conditions, and I am afraid that because of this frustration and the inability to bring about any change in their working conditions up to now, some have decided to speak out against the Ryanair fuel policy (which is equal to any other european company) and bring this in relation ship with the bullying culture within the company.
I have always taken extra fuel with me if I felt for whatever reason that it was necessary, I have never been questioned by the base captain or company by doing so, but having said this I do strongly believe that the monthly published fuel league is WRONG and should not be published at all!