In response to the concerns raised in this article:
https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/1009/91...yanair-pilots/
Ryanair’s directly employed pilots have specific “right to organize” protections within Europe via Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, local labor laws (UK, Trade Union Act 1992) and International Labor Organization conventions (every country Ryanair operates in Europe is a signatory):
"ILO 98 - Right to organize and collective bargaining.
This fundamental convention provides that workers shall enjoy adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination, including requirements that a worker not join a union or relinquish trade union membership for employment, or dismissal of a worker because of union membership or participation in union activities. Workers' and employers' organizations shall enjoy adequate protection against any acts of interference by each other, in particular the establishment of workers' organizations under the domination of employers or employers' organizations, or the support of workers' organizations by financial or other means, with the object of placing such organizations under the control of employers or employers' organizations. The convention also enshrines the right to collective bargaining.”
http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/...--en/index.htm
The significance of the recent ECJ ruling on the application of EC 44/2001 and its relevance to labor rights and labor principles in their employment relationship with the airline, should not be overlooked (something Norwegian’s pilots do not have).
EC 44/2001: Section 5, Article 18, Jurisdiction over individual contracts of employment, provides directly employed Ryanair pilots with local labor law protection and oversight:
“Where an employee enters into an individual contract of employment with an employer who is not domiciled in a Member State but has a branch, agency or other establishment in one of the Member States, the employer shall, in disputes arising out of the operations of the branch, agency or establishment, be deemed to be domiciled in that Member State.”
It is understandable why contractors do not protest to management. However, in respect of those directly employed, either Ryanair is complying with local labor laws or pilots are not challenging unlawful abuses and disputes via the legislation available to them.
Hopefully, Ryanair's directly employed pilots are taking the lead to improve conditions for all.