indigopete - There has been no one more critical than me in the past of Ryanair pilots and the dreadful mistake they made in not embracing BALPA (UK pilots' union) when they had the chance. Nonetheless, I would have to say that I disagree with your take on this. Ryanair pilots are under intolerable strain from a voracious management team led by Michael O'Leary. They have been incredibly cunning by not employing pilots directly and therefore they can say that any pilots who get sacked or had their careers impeded for speaking out, are the responsibility of the agency for whom they work. Those agencies will deal very harshly with dissenters, as has been demonstrated on many occasions and stated so succinctly by J.O. That is why union representation was so vital. Also it is vital that someone with deep pockets take on Ryanair in a court over their anti-union stance and their effective blocking of workers' rights. I long for the day when Ryanair's failings and the truth of their treatment of their staff comes out, but that day is nowhere in sight at the moment.
As J.O. has said, it appears that a number of staff at the IAA are ex-Ryanair themselves and there is a clear suggestion that names of complainants would be passed back to Ryanair management. It is easy to criticise the pilots, but they are not in a position to do anything, as it is career suicide to speak out. As we have seen recently, one of their most senior Training Captains, John Goss, was sacked and is now being sued by Ryanair over the comments he has made on the Channel 4 Dispatches programme in the UK. As an aside, I thought the programme failed to produce a 'smoking gun' regarding safety at Ryanair. The editorial team also chose the wrong guy to present it, who came across more like a sentinel from 'The Matrix' than a professional and informed commentator on aviation matters.
As we are seeing, taking on Ryanair can be a dangerous and costly business for even large organizations, let alone individuals. One little error in your case could cost you everything you own plus your future career. They have managed to threaten with legal action just about everyone who speaks out from PPRuNe moderators through to the Aviation Herald, their own pilots and now even their own governing authority is waxing lyrical about the glories of Ryanair. Can you imagine Virgin or BA insisting on a public statement of support from the UK CAA to be read out at their own press conferences and getting it? Therefore I cannot find it too difficult to have a heart for the struggle of Ryanair pilots. I would love to give John Goss an award for bravery, and I hope he gets a jury with someone on it who has knowledge of the aviation industry on it. History has shown that 'whistleblowers' do not do well in the overall scheme of life, and most pilots know that. My experience of pilots, which now extends to many years, leads me to the view that they are fundamentally creatures of the herd and rarely stand out from the mass to rise up and be counted outside their immediate professional environment. When facing a resourceful and cunning adversary like the Ryanair management team, it will require a few individuals of extraordinary courage to stand up to them. I believe John Goss may be one of those people and I wish him nothing but the best of fortune in the days ahead - I think he will need it.