I think Ryanair pilots are using the flight and passenger safety to argue their discomfort in relation to their employment contracts. I think it is not a clean way to vindicate their employment status.
There is no secret about the working conditions. Pilots have been hired by an agency not by the airline. Conditions are explained to you ... If you work you earn money, you have no right to social security or unemployment benefit. Not even you will have the right to a pension for retirement because you have not paid into social security.
What OŽLeary is doing is legal.