A SENIOR member of Ryanair management yesterday admitted that a former pilot was unable to enter into an internal promotion process because he was pursuing claims against the airline.
Peter Bellew, Ryanair’s general manager of flight operations, told an Employment Appeals Tribunal that the claimant, Joe Peard, could not have truthfully signed a bond required to enter into the upgrade programme without dropping his claims against the company. Mr Peard claims he was forced to leave the airline as he was subjected to a “systematic and ongoing campaign of harassment”. He worked with Ryanair for over four years before handing in his notice on June 29th, 2007.
The pilot says Ryanair denied him promotion to the rank of captain, even though he met the required criteria, manipulated the staff roster to reduce his pay and deliberately underpaid him. Ryanair contests the allegations.
Mr Peard believes the issues arose because of his involvement in a number of victimisation cases being taken by staff against the airline, and said he understood he would not be promoted unless his claims were dropped.
The tribunal heard that Mr Peard had completed the flying hours required to be promoted from the rank of first officer to captain in May 2006, but that he did not participate in a command upgrade programme that took place at about that time.
Ryanair then decided, in October of that year, to promote 20 pilots at its Dublin base to the rank of captain. Mr Bellew said a memo detailing the promotion process was sent to eligible staff and that this included a bond which applicants were expected to sign stating they had no claims against the company.
The tribunal heard that a number of other pilots who had claims against the airline had dropped their actions and been accepted into the promotion process, and that when Mr Peard sought clarification on the matter he was again asked if he had claims and if he would sign the bond. Mr Bellew denied there was any policy in place at the airline to limit the progress of staff who had outstanding claims, but admitted that he had helped to draw up the bond which sought “clarity” as to the status of the actions. He said he felt the bond was reasonable.
“We wanted to know where we stood with the employee before they were promoted,” Mr Bellew said. “We did not want legal claims involved in a promotion to a significant position.” Mr Peard’s representative, Michael Landers of the Impact trade union, said the bond was designed to ensure the number of claims outstanding against Ryanair was zero.
Tribunal chair Niamh O’Carroll Kelly said it appeared that “regardless” of what happened, Mr Peard could not enter the process without withdrawing his claim. She said there was no evidence that Mr Peard could enter the process and maintain his legal actions against Ryanair.
Ms O’Carroll Kelly said a Ryanair document included in the book of evidence stated that there would be no “impediments” to any pilot’s career progress. Sheadjourned the case until June 17th.
