Website to allow Ryanair Workers talk about their rights safe from Michael

national | worker & community struggles and protests | other press Tuesday August 31, 2004 15:01 by eekkkk

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"www.ryan-be-fair.org is open to Ryanair workers and the public, who can sign an appeal for fairness online*. Employees at the airline can discuss issues with their colleagues free from unwanted oversight, can request updates and can be put in touch with trade unions in their home countries.
Earlier this year the Sunday Times reported that when pilots attempted to break Ryanair’s long-standing ban on trade unions O’Leary resisted these moves and suggested anyone who wasn’t happy was “free to go elsewhere. Godspeed to them”.
ITF General Secretary David Cockroft commented: “We’ve been told that people are afraid to speak in some Ryanair workplaces. As far as we’re concerned, that stops now.”
He continued: “If Michael O’Leary won’t allow a forum where Ryanair workers can freely make up their own minds, then the ITF will – even if their decision is to tell us to get lost. I’m sure that one of the first visitors to the site will be Mr O’Leary, closely followed by his lawyers. He’s welcome to look. We have nothing to hide except the names of the Ryanair staff who want to enjoy the right to free speech.”
He concluded: “This is a new campaign tool for an old problem. For as long as there’s been trade unions there’s been employers who try to bully workers away from them. We’re here to find ways to prevent this. Ryanair claims it’s not anti-union, it’s pro-employee. Good. We’re happy to help them prove it.”