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Without a union or any other support the pilots have exposed Ryanair for what it is – an atrocious employer which treats its workers little better than slaves.

The only good thing to come from the Ryanair cancellations fiasco is we will never again have to listen to Fine Gael types calling for a Michael O’Leary figure to shake up public services.

While the decision to cut thousands of flights means uncertainty and distress for its customers, in doing so it has lifted the lid on the plight of exploited workers everywhere.

The business model built on low pay and poor working conditions in a climate of fear and intimidation has been laid bare.

There hasn’t been a peep out of those who have hailed O’Leary as a swashbuckling hero who makes exceedingly large profits and keeps uppity workers in their place.

The same set would have lionised Seanie Fitzpatrick, who was flying as high as one of O’Leary’s jets and would have cheered him on when he called for cuts in what he called the “sacred cows” of children, the elderly and health care.

(Image: Gareth Chaney Collins)

O’Leary, who pocketed around €3.26million last year, has also been highly critical of overgenerous public services and has been constantly sniping at Government for caving in to interest groups, ie, workers looking for a decent wage.

What started as a holiday roster cock-up has now developed into a full-blown crisis where pilots which could ground the airline.

It is now clear Ryanair is having serious difficulties retaining its staff which is hardly surprising and with a world shortage of pilots, the situation could get a lot worse.

No matter how this pans out the thousands of workers on zero- hour contracts or who are forced into bogus self-employment arrangements to absolve their employer from paying social welfare and pension contributions, owe a debt of gratitude to these flyers.

(Image: Gareth Chaney Collins)

Because of their crucial role, the cockpit crews have become the unlikely shock troops in the fight for better pay and conditions for workers everywhere in much the same way the miners held the line for the working-class in the past.

The pilots have put manners on boastful O’Leary and the band of bullies whose handling of this crisis has been abysmal.

Instead of publishing a full list of cancellations straight away it left up to 18 million impending travellers in the lurch.

Cabin crew, who are threatened with punishment if they fail to meet sales targets for drink, food and scratchcards, will also be hoping the pilots win better conditions.

Up to half of Ryanair’s staff, including pilots, do not actually work for the airline but are hired by agencies set up to get around employment laws.

This means the airline has little or no responsibility for their staff, a trend that is being aped by other firms and even in some sections of the public service.

The health service is a case in point where agency nurses are called in to make up the numbers because the State will not match the wages and conditions being offered in the UK, Australia and Canada.

For the Ryanair model to succeed it is imperative workers are not allowed to organise or join a union.

Unfortunately for the airline, pilots are now in open revolt and are demanding permanent contracts under local laws.

Not surprisingly, Ryanair wants to use Irish law and wants cabin crew based outside Ireland to take their disputes to courts here.

There can only be one reason why O’Leary has a soft spot for Irish courts

But in a blow to his company the European Court of Justice ruled in favour of cabin crew based at Ryanair’s base at Charleroi on the question of which court should decide on their complaint.

When O’Leary believes Irish laws are more favourable to his union-busting airline, he’s probably right.