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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/sep/22/ryanair-pilots-michael-oleary-cancellations
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| Ryanair staff brand company a 'disgrace' over handling of issues | Ryanair staff brand company a 'disgrace' over handling of issues |
| (11 days later) | |
| Ryanair was branded a “disgrace” by a group of pilots after missing a deadline to respond to their demands for improved employment terms, as the risk of a full-blown labour dispute has now spread to cabin crew. | Ryanair was branded a “disgrace” by a group of pilots after missing a deadline to respond to their demands for improved employment terms, as the risk of a full-blown labour dispute has now spread to cabin crew. |
| As discontent among Ryanair staff threatened to boil over, chief executive Michael O’Leary reportedly issued an internal memo apologising for the company’s rostering error, which forced it to cancel up to 50 flights a day, affecting 315,000 passengers. | As discontent among Ryanair staff threatened to boil over, chief executive Michael O’Leary reportedly issued an internal memo apologising for the company’s rostering error, which forced it to cancel up to 50 flights a day, affecting 315,000 passengers. |
| “I want to say personally, to each and every one of you who work in Ryanair, I’m sorry for the mess that we have created over the past week over the rosters,” he said, according to the Irish Independent. | “I want to say personally, to each and every one of you who work in Ryanair, I’m sorry for the mess that we have created over the past week over the rosters,” he said, according to the Irish Independent. |
| But a draft letter circulated among pilots based at airports across Europe criticised O’Leary’s overall handling of the affair, which has seen him threaten to force them to defer time off. | But a draft letter circulated among pilots based at airports across Europe criticised O’Leary’s overall handling of the affair, which has seen him threaten to force them to defer time off. |
| In a separate letter sent earlier this week, pilots from more than 30 of Ryanair’s European bases had given the Irish airline until 10am on Friday to address concerns about their employment terms. | In a separate letter sent earlier this week, pilots from more than 30 of Ryanair’s European bases had given the Irish airline until 10am on Friday to address concerns about their employment terms. |
| The group, who have hired professional negotiators, listed demands including new employment contracts to be negotiated by 1 January 2018 and common working conditions throughout the carrier’s network. | The group, who have hired professional negotiators, listed demands including new employment contracts to be negotiated by 1 January 2018 and common working conditions throughout the carrier’s network. |
| Many of Ryanair’s pilots are employed via temporary agency contracts, among the factors that allow the no-frills airline to keep costs down. | Many of Ryanair’s pilots are employed via temporary agency contracts, among the factors that allow the no-frills airline to keep costs down. |
| The letter said agreeing to change this model would “help keep our planes in the air” and make sure that “cancellations will be minimised”. | The letter said agreeing to change this model would “help keep our planes in the air” and make sure that “cancellations will be minimised”. |
| But two pilots familiar with efforts to negotiate with Ryanair said the company had ignored the ultimatum, allowing the deadline to pass without a response. | But two pilots familiar with efforts to negotiate with Ryanair said the company had ignored the ultimatum, allowing the deadline to pass without a response. |
| The Guardian has seen an early draft of a second letter that was due to be sent to Ryanair on Friday, criticising O’Leary’s handling of the dispute. | The Guardian has seen an early draft of a second letter that was due to be sent to Ryanair on Friday, criticising O’Leary’s handling of the dispute. |
| “As a pilot group we regret that you are not willing to solve the problems Ryanair is facing now,” the letter reads. | “As a pilot group we regret that you are not willing to solve the problems Ryanair is facing now,” the letter reads. |
| “We offered our help, however you prefer to cancel flights and leave the passengers out in the cold. We do not understand why Ryanair management sees us as the enemy when we are actually colleagues.” | “We offered our help, however you prefer to cancel flights and leave the passengers out in the cold. We do not understand why Ryanair management sees us as the enemy when we are actually colleagues.” |
| The letter also questioned comments O’Leary made at this week’s annual general meeting, when he accused pilots of being “precious” and questioned the difficulty of their job. | The letter also questioned comments O’Leary made at this week’s annual general meeting, when he accused pilots of being “precious” and questioned the difficulty of their job. |
| “Management should be ashamed of themselves,” pilots said. “What you say at press conferences is a disgrace to all employees and contractors. Ryanair has been doing well for so many years and that is all because of us.” | “Management should be ashamed of themselves,” pilots said. “What you say at press conferences is a disgrace to all employees and contractors. Ryanair has been doing well for so many years and that is all because of us.” |
| Ryanair said: “Our crews have confirmed they sent no such letter,” without saying which letter it was referring to. | Ryanair said: “Our crews have confirmed they sent no such letter,” without saying which letter it was referring to. |
| One ex-Ryanair pilot said many former colleagues were unimpressed with the company’s offer of a tax-free bonus of up to £12,000 if they fly during their time off, to avoid further cancellations during the rest of the year. | One ex-Ryanair pilot said many former colleagues were unimpressed with the company’s offer of a tax-free bonus of up to £12,000 if they fly during their time off, to avoid further cancellations during the rest of the year. |
| “[O’Leary] wants to buy himself into January and do it as cheap as possible, the way he always does,” he said. | “[O’Leary] wants to buy himself into January and do it as cheap as possible, the way he always does,” he said. |
| “Of course €10,000 is not nothing. But this is an airline that’s planning to report close to €1.5bn profit. He wants to buy himself out of this crisis for pennies.” | “Of course €10,000 is not nothing. But this is an airline that’s planning to report close to €1.5bn profit. He wants to buy himself out of this crisis for pennies.” |
| Cabin crew have also been emboldened by the dispute with pilots and are set to take advantage of a rare opportunity to seek improvements to their terms while Ryanair is vulnerable due to potential impact of any further cancellations. | Cabin crew have also been emboldened by the dispute with pilots and are set to take advantage of a rare opportunity to seek improvements to their terms while Ryanair is vulnerable due to potential impact of any further cancellations. |
| Irish law allows Ryanair to avoid recognising trade unions but the company recently suffered a setback when it lost a labour rights battle in the European court of justice, which ruled staff could pursue legal claims in the country where they are based. | Irish law allows Ryanair to avoid recognising trade unions but the company recently suffered a setback when it lost a labour rights battle in the European court of justice, which ruled staff could pursue legal claims in the country where they are based. |
| Several sources among pilots and cabin crew said they have now begun forming secret informal unions via social media, to avoid repercussions that might affect their job prospects. | Several sources among pilots and cabin crew said they have now begun forming secret informal unions via social media, to avoid repercussions that might affect their job prospects. |
| One invite-only Facebook group, Ryanair Cabin Crew United, has gathered 3,400 members, verified as genuine current or former staff by their “crew code”. | One invite-only Facebook group, Ryanair Cabin Crew United, has gathered 3,400 members, verified as genuine current or former staff by their “crew code”. |
| The group’s founders told the Guardian they are preparing an open letter to the company demanding improved working conditions. | The group’s founders told the Guardian they are preparing an open letter to the company demanding improved working conditions. |
| They are taking advice from trade unions in several countries including Italy and Spain after losing patience with O’Leary’s attitude towards them. | They are taking advice from trade unions in several countries including Italy and Spain after losing patience with O’Leary’s attitude towards them. |
| “This guy has to understand that the limit has passed,” said one. “We want to stop this ridiculous circus.” | “This guy has to understand that the limit has passed,” said one. “We want to stop this ridiculous circus.” |
| Their demands are expected to include full employment contracts at local level, the removal of sales target for items such as scratchcards and perfume and changes to fees for training courses. | Their demands are expected to include full employment contracts at local level, the removal of sales target for items such as scratchcards and perfume and changes to fees for training courses. |
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