Ryanair turns Polish pilots into precarious workers

Michael O’Leary’s commitment to union representation has looked less convincing of late. The Ryanair boss, who said last year he had reluctantly come to accept unionisation despite previously saying “hell would freeze over” before he did so, appears not to have entirely abandoned his old position, judging by the airline’s actions in Poland. The carrier is refusing to recognise the new Polish union for cabin crew and is asking them and pilots to sign up to the company’s local subsidiary as contractors, in effect turning them into precarious workers without permanent employee rights. Even though Poland is only a small part of the Ryanair operation, some industry figures fear the airline could try and extend the strategy elsewhere to circumvent the unions. <br/>