Of course any well run strike will not be called off before anyone dismissed is reinstated. This is not a new battle, the tactics and counter tactics are well know and understood by both the employer and the union. If it was that easy industrial action would not be the very powerful tool that it is.

Dismissal for taking part in properly organised strike action, excepting in long term action, is automatically unfair:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/wo...issal-is-fair/

The employer though does not commit a criminal offence even if they knowingly dismiss for reasons that are automatically unfair. The dismissed employee's remedy is to make a claim to an Employment Tribunal. As has already been pointed out there is a maximum award the tribunal can make. Going to a Tribunal isn't an easy option, the form filling and procedure can be onerous, more so if the respondent employer and their lawyers choose to make it so. There's also a strict time limit. Then there's a day in court with a Judge etc to be faced. Furthermore there were, until the Supreme Court ruled them unlawful, extensive and costly fees.

The effect is that the 'go to law' option is anything but a level playing field. The claimant is prone to being picked off with a settlement (usually with confidentiality clauses) to save the Employer the embarrassment of an actual judgement.

As has been pointed out already even if the Tribunal makes a full award that''s chicken feed for the employer and probably a 'price worth paying' to pick of the ring leaders of even lawful industrial action.

It's arguable that Trade Unionism and Industrial Action in UK got out of hand in sixties/seventies. Legislation passed in the Thatcher era swung the balance too far the other way and succeeding governments, even those that were ostensibly Labour, had no appetite for a return to fairness and equality of arms.

Ryanair loses court battle to block UK pilot strikes
 

I take it the judge was flying with them for the bank holiday weekend

The next Bank Holiday in Ireland is at Hallowe'en.

Actual terms and conditions
 

"Captains basic salary is about 88/90K and increases incrementally to a max of 142K at the very top for a line captain."

That might be euros. For the UK top line captain is approx £127k total including allowances. Add about 13k for line trainer and around 17k ( I think) for TRE. Pension 8k. Leave system is a month off at company's discretion (usually over winter) plus 10 adhoc days. That's about it.

Is there actually anyone on the picket line today? Not a single UK cancellation. Have the management pulled a blinder and managed to crew all the flights even with Ryanair BALPA pilots on strike, or have most bottled it and crossed the picket line to go to work? I sincerely hope not. This a massive chance to actually change things for the better.

I suspect it will take about 3 strike days before Ryanair realise how much it is costing them, its not just the inconvenience but the cost - and if they are using pilots from their other bases how sustainable is that? It then becomes hard to operate the bases these guys should be working from.
In addition it was on morning TV how customers have been booking elsewhere because they are wary of flights not going so that is also going to hurt MOL.
Hold out guys, you WILL get there if you do!