Ryanair Boeing 737 8 AS RE SIZED 750

Ryanair Pilots found their own initiative against unfair workcond

Tuesday, April 8, 2014


The pilots, who work at Ryanair and are paid through a payroll structure, are dissatisfied with the current working conditions. Therefore, they have now decided to set up an organization, in order to raise their voice against the low-budget airline. One of the pilots that work at Ryanair stated that no pension is paid, they do not get paid for sickness and that there is no job security. The pilot and also the initiator of the new organization GTD Aviation, wishes to remain anonymous.

About two-thirds of the pilots employed by Ryanair operate with a zero hours contract rather than a permanent contract. They are then hired through two agencies where Ryanair maintains close interaction with, according to the pilot. This means that Ryanair pilots have only duties and no rights; in theory, they do not work for Ryanair, but if they do not come to work, they will be punished for it.

Great dissatisfaction with Ryanair Staff

The Ryanair pilots were already causing uproar for quite a while. In the meantime, the pilots have founded a kind of trade union, which gets more and more supporters, day by day. They believe that Ryanair pilots are treated like "modern slaves" so they call it.

In the past, Ryanair pilots would question the policies of their employer in terms of safety. In November 2012 a KRO television program in The Netherlands brought abuses to light, after which Ryanair sued KRO. In August 2013, a survey revealed information about the fact that the pilots of the Irish budget airline do not feel free to notify their employers for fear of reprisals.

Safety pension

The GTD Aviation organization wants to bind around five hundred pilots before the 1st of May. "GTD Aviation is of pilots, for pilots. We guarantee nine hundred flying hours per year, there is a pension paid for and there is a control part that you get paid when you're sick, " said the founder.

Ryanair does not want to address this matter, they said; "We do not waste time or attention to anonymous groups like GTD Aviation" .

Written by Team Flight-Delayed.co.uk