Ryanair denies forcing staff to come into the office

Ryanair says that all of its staff at its Dublin headquarters are essential and that any suggestion they are being "forced" to come to the office is false.

One staff member said that while the company's Swords office has temperature checks, face masks, and enhanced cleaning, they felt that the office was "too crowded" and relied on staff taking public transport when they felt their job could be done from home.

Under the country's level 5 restrictions, people are advised to work from home unless they are "providing an essential service for which your physical presence is required".

Ryanair staff memos, seen by the Irish Examiner, say that transport and aviation are deemed essential, meaning staff are needed in the office. The memos say that staff are split into pods, but outline positive cases across a number of back-office departments, though they say that the cases are linked to transmission outside the office. All of these cases are responded to with rapid testing, the memos say.

However, staff are told that some cases within workplaces are "inevitable" while the country lives with the virus.

"While we understand some people may be concerned, the reality is we are likely to be dealing with Covid 19 for some time and some confirmed cases in workplaces are inevitable. It is critical that we deal with them rationally and methodically, by following all health measures and responding with rapid testing to suspected or confirmed cases."

Another memo outlines the process when a case is confirmed in the company's offices.

"Rapid testing has been arranged for the work colleagues in the same work pod who are isolating as a precautionary measure while we await the test results. A deep clean of the floor has also been completed."

While a staff member said that they were "concerned for their health", a company statement sad the claims were "hearsay" and "false".

"Ryanair is an essential service provider operating daily flights across over 30 EU countries. All our office people are essential, particularly as we deal with frequently changing travel restrictions, flight refunds, and advice to customers.

"We have implemented effective healthy workplace practices since we reopened on June 1 last, and we continue to comply with all Covid-19 workplace guidelines."

Ryanair, which last week closed its bases in Cork and Shannon for the winter, has been broadly critical of the Government's handling of the pandemic. Company CEO Eddie Wilson last week said Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has done nothing to help the aviation sector.

"We didn't do anything all summer, we discouraged people from traveling, we had a disproportionate effect on travel and instead of actually putting something in place this minister didn't do anything," Mr Wilson said.

The company will next week address the Oireachtas Transport Committee on the crisis in the aviation industry.