Dan, I agree the memo seeks to (positively) deter crew from taking extra fuel, but you know as well as I do that the company would always defend that memo as not an instruction to compromise safety with regards to fuel.
However, can you offer actual evidence or facts that if someone exercises their right as the PIC to deviate from the memo and take extra fuel because they believe safety will be compromised has been negatively disciplined for doing so.
No, it's purely anecdotal - and deliberately so. RYR are quite clever and would not give a disgruntled former employee the opportunity to go to the press with evidence of safety breaches. There are other ways of keeping the troops in line. For example, someone who regularly takes extra fuel and has to repeatedly has to explain why may find themselves demoted or sacked on another seemingly minor matter, like not going into discretion. RYR seem to prefer to generate a climate of fear and mistrust which they can manipulate. There is more than enough evidence that this goes on, but little of it hard evidence. The fuel memo is a good example. There is no mention of the penalties for taking more fuel than the management think is necessary, but the threat is quite clearly there. if you work in that environment and hear stories of someone on another base who got the sack for doing so, then you will fall in line. It's an environment of fear. And although this environment is again purely anecdotal, based on anonymous pilots who are too afraid to identify themselves on the Dispatches and the Dutch TV programme, this itself speaks volumes. The relentless suppression and attempts to vilify those who seek unionisation with RYR is a good example of their success in controlling the workforce.
Many of us will know ex RYR pilots. I was flying with one recently who was telling me of some of the 'management' techniques of RYR. They're astounding. I also have a mate in RYR who doesn't want to talk about work when we meet for a beer. But when he does, he appears to rapidly acquire Tourettes syndrome. He leaves me with no doubt as to his personal feelings regarding his employer.