RYANAIR PILOT GROUP contact@ PO Box - BP51, 1050 Ixelles, Belgique 25th April 2013 (By email and hard copy) Mr Kevin Humphreys Director Safety Regulation Irish Aviation Authority The Times Building 11-12 D'Olier Street Dublin 2 Dear Mr Humphreys, Re: Threats of dismissal issued to Ryanair Pilots On the 17 th April 2013, the Ryanair Chief Pilot, Mr Ray Conway, issued a memo to all pilots related to a petition being conducted by the Ryanair Pilot Group (RPG). Mr Conway explicitly threatens Ryanair pilots with termination of employment should they voice any safety concerns through channels other than those approved by Ryanair. The RPG is extremely concerned by some of the rhetoric used in this memo and also by the implicit attempt to constrain the reporting of safety related concerns. It should be noted that the memo was issued as a compulsory read item to all pilots on the internal communication system. We were surprised to note that the memo was copied to the IAA and to EASA. This appears to be the first time such an internal memo has been directly copied to the regulators and which the addressees of this memo may interpret as conveying legitimacy or endorsement of its content by the regulatory authorities. The purpose of our letter is to inform you about the threats that pilots perceive in Mr Conway s memo. Since you have been directly copied on it, we would like your clarification on the following questions: 1. Do you endorse the content of this memo? 2. Do you believe that this statement by Ryanair's chief pilot can have an impact on safety reporting in Ryanair? 3. Are you concerned about the potential for the number of safety reports to reduce further as a result of this type of communication to pilots? 4. Do you consider Professional Pilot Associations to be an acceptable route for pilots to raise safety related concerns, if that is how pilots wish to raise their concerns? 5. As an emerging group of professional pilots, can you advise how we should procedurally raise safety issues that Pilots bring to our attention, if pilots do not feel safe doing so through internal company channels?
RYANAIRPILOTGROUP.COM The petition to which Mr Conway refers outlines the reasons for safety concerns arising from the Ryanair employment model and calls on regulators to conduct an in-depth investigation of the impact of that model on safety. Voicing concerns about safety and petitioning any government agency about those concerns is legal, necessary and in line with every pilot s legal obligations to report those kinds of concerns when they arise. A copy of the petition wording is attached for your information. The Ryanair Pilot Group calls on you to intervene in Ryanair s behaviour and to establish a proper dialogue to address any safety concerns that pilots in Ryanair may have (as should be the case in every airline in Europe). This dialogue should take place between the company, the regulator(s) and whoever Ryanair pilot s choose to represent them. We emphasize that the RPG does not support mixing safety and industrial issues and we think that Ryanair should refrain from mixing the two as well. The industrial issues referred to in the petition will be raised in a different forum. However, we consider the safety implications of the Ryanair employment model to be a matter for investigation by the safety regulatory authorities. The petition was intended to provide direct evidence of pilots feelings on the need for an independent assessment of the safety implications of the Ryanair employment model. The memo issued by Ray Conway speaks for itself as evidence of the tone and nature of communications received by pilots if they seek to raise safety concerns through any channel other than those approved by Ryanair. The petition has been suspended pending your clarification on the questions raised previously. In the context of some of the rhetoric in the memo and for clarity, the RPG has been established by and for Ryanair pilots, with the aim to be represented by people chosen by Ryanair pilots. We request your reply to this letter as a matter of urgency. We specifically ask for your opinion about this very serious situation and your proposed actions to remedy it without delay. Please note: As an emerging pilot group, we are in the process of identifying representatives who can speak openly on our behalf and who have a mandate to do so. For the moment, our communication is routed through a legal representative to indicate our bona fide status as a group comprising more than 50% of the Ryanair pilot body. Your reply to our request can be directed to our legal representative. Alternatively, if you would prefer to have a named individual in one of the European Cockpit Associations' professional member associations, please advise us and we will be happy to arrange this for you. Yours Sincerely, The Ryanair Pilot Group Cc: European Cockpit Association, 22 Rue du Commerce, Brussels. Attached: Copy of Ryanair Chief Pilot s memo. Copy of pilots petition. SUPPORTED BY ECA Member Associations 2
To: From: Date: All Ryanair Pilots Capt Ray Conway, Chief Pilot 17 t h April, 2013 Ladies & Gentlemen, I refer to a recent (13 April) circular from IALPA - the Aer Lingus pilots union - masquerading as a Ryanair pilot group. This is yet another attempt to persuade Ryanair pilots to participate in a petition designed to smear Ryanair s outstanding flight safety, to promote IALPA s (failed) industrial relations campaign, which is totally unacceptable. While we couldn t care less what IALPA (or other anonymous groups like REPA/RPG etc.) may falsely say about Ryanair s terms and conditions or our employment practices, we will not accept or tolerate any invented petitions which try to circumvent established (and confidential) safety reporting channels. IALPA has previously made false and defamatory claims about Ryanair s fuel policy, our employment policies and Ryanair s outstanding 29 year safety record. I expect that all pilots working in Ryanair will have the good sense to avoid participating in any such manufactured petition whichh circumvents established reporting channels to wrongly smear Ryanair s safety. I am asking each and every one of you not to participate in this anonymous petition, since theree is no basiss whatsoever for IALPA s claimed possible flight safety implications for Ryanair s operations. If IALPA or the RPG or any other anonymous group want to make inaccurate or false claims about non safety issues, they are freee to do so, but we will not allow Ryanair s safety to be defamed by this Aer Lingus pilots union. Please note that any Ryanair pilot who participates in this so called safety petition will be guilty of grosss misconduct and will be liable for dismissal. Naturally if any Ryanair pilot has any legitimate safety concerns, at any time, then these should be properly raised through Ryanair s confidential safety reporting channel or raised directly with the IAA. Please do not be duped or misled by IALPA into confusing safety matters with industrial relations. We may disagree from time to time about pay, conditions and/or contractual matters, but we will not disagreee about Ryanair s safety, our unwavering commitment to safety, or our outstanding 29 year safety record. Thank you for your professionalism in this matter. Ray Conway Captain Chief Pilot c.c. David O Brien & Michael Horgan, Ryanair Eamonn Brennan & Kevin Humphreys, IAAA Patrick Goudou, EASAA
PILOT UPDATE RYANAIR PILOT GROUP contact@ 13 th April 2013 URGENT - Pilots Petition to the IAA and EASA Safety concerns regarding operation of Ryanair employment model. Thank you to all pilots who took part in the most recent RPG ballot. The ballot dealt with the range of activities that Pilots may consider to achieve their strategic objectives. A particular thank you to all who offered to assist in the future development of the RPG. We hope to be in contact in the near future to look at specific ways in which you will be able to help at your particular base. The first collective activity by the RPG is a petition to the IAA and EASA regarding increasing concerns arising from Ryanair employment model. The impact of recent developments in Germany and Italy regarding tax and social insurance payments, and the possibility of these issues developing in other countries, are of particular concern. Purpose - The purpose of this action is to seek the intervention or regulators to assess the impact of the Ryanair employment model on the safety of flight operations. ALL pilots operating for Ryanair are requested to take the following immediate steps: 1. Print off the letter accompanying this briefing sheet. 2. Date and sign the letter and insert your Pilots licence number. NOTE The Name and licence number of pilots WILL NOT BE DISCLOSED as part of this process. If required, a legal notary will be engaged to verify the validity of each individual letter forming part of this collective petition, but personal details of the petitioners will NOT be disclosed. 3. Scan or photograph your signed letter and return it to the following email address RPGOps@ialpa.net 4. Please complete these requested actions and return your signed letter on or before - Submission Deadline - 23 rd April 2013. Further actions will be announced in the near future.
RYANAIR PILOT GROUP contact@ PO Box - BP51, 1050 Ixelles, Belgique 13 th April 2013 For the attention of Irish Aviation Authority and EASA C/O Ryanair Pilot Group (RPG) Dear Regulator, I would like to express my concerns about the possible flight safety implications arising from recent developments involving both Pilots and Cabin crew operating for Ryanair, particularly in Italy and Germany. Ryanair Pilots and Cabin crew have recently received back dated tax demands or raids on their homes from the tax authorities in these countries respectively. These demands and developments came as both a surprise and shock. It is a further concern that tax authorities in other countries may take similar action in the future. This is indicated by recent court cases in Italy, France, Norway and Germany. The confusing, uncertain and unpredictable employment situation in Ryanair is becoming an increasing distraction in daily flight operations. Discussions about these issues with my colleagues highlight the stress and worry caused for individuals and their families. I am concerned about the possible implications and impact of these developments on the safety of my working environment. I feel it is important that the IAA and other regulators are made aware of these developments and my concerns as a licence holder. I call on the IAA and EASA, particularly in conjunction with the regulators in Italy, Germany, Norway and France, to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the impact of the Ryanair employment model on the potential safety of flight operations. I further request that this issue be addressed as a matter of urgency and that the results of any evaluation be made known to all pilots operating for Ryanair. Yours Sincerely ( ) Pilot Licence Number: I am based in :
PILOT UPDATE RYANAIR PILOT GROUP contact@ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 18 th April 2013 Important information on the current RPG Petition Dear Colleagues, Thank you to those who have participated so far in what Ryanair has called the RPG Safety Petition. The unprecedented memo issued by the Ryanair Chief Pilot dated 17 th April 2013, containing a direct threat to Ryanair pilots with respect to safety reporting, proves the very point that we wished to make with the petition and thus now makes it redundant. Consequently, a decision has been taken to suspend the current petition. The reaction to the petition indicates Ryanair s fear of any kind of independent investigation into the safety climate in the airline. We will now bring Ryanair s extraordinary threats to the attention of the relevant authorities. Please note that this is expected to involve one or more anonymous surveys and letters to various organisations. The first letters will be sent within 24 hours. They will be published on the RPG website. The several hundred petitions received to date have now been destroyed. Any petitions sent after the transmission of this e-mail will be returned automatically to the sender. Please note that two further petitions are planned in the near future on other matters of concern to the RPG. The Ryanair Pilot Group