Pilots urged to spend union fees on ‘fast women’

A FORMER Ryanair official claimed in a “robust” letter sent to all the airline’s pilots that, rather than spending £1,000 a year on joining a pilots’ trade union, they should spend the money on “fast women, slow horses or even greyhound racing”, the High Court heard yesterday.

Part of the letter, dated June 30, 2004, was read to the court in the continuing action by Ryanair aimed at securing the identities of persons who posted messages on a Ryanair pilots website which messages, the airline claims, were intimidatory and showed evidence of wrongful action against Ryanair’s employees.

Mr Warwick Brady, who previously worked with Ryanair as a deputy flights director in London, told the pilots in the letter that the British pilots association, BALPA, “are back” and would be looking for another ballot aimed at securing trade union recognition.

He wrote: “Let me make Ryanair’s position on BALPA perfectly clear as follows: 1. We have no objection to any Ryanair pilot joining BALPA, the Taliban, the Monster Raving Loonies or indeed the Moonies. Each individual is perfectly free to join whatever association he/she so chooses.

“2. BALPA, in return for your membership, will charge you 1% of your total salary, that will amount to up to £1000 – yes, £1,000 – each year. If you want to waste £1,000, we recommend fast women, slow horses or even greyhound racing, at least you’ll have a few minutes of fun, which is more than you’ll have with BALPA.”

Mr Brady agreed with Mr Michael Cush SC, for BALPA, that the memo represented a firm point of view.