I was a cabin crew supervisor there. Dublin base for 10yrs
I havent Applied for other jobs because I was too tired and I lost my self-esteem, because FR drains all you life energy out of you...
You have to pay to join them- over years it varied between 1800€ and 3500€ (depending on the market value of the new CabinCrew).
Therefore, you are not much more but to be milked- you are an asset only until you have paid "for the course". After this you are financial liabity. ( if not a LEMON- according to MOL).
Once these monies are in the balance sheet of FR- u can go.
The philosophy is: FR will make your life a misery so you leave youself and vacate the spot for another new person (who in turn will bring the "course fee" with him/her).
In a way it is a money making scheme. I estimate this in itself creates a steady flow of around 20mln € a year.
Similar system is in place when it comes to hiring new pilots. But this is for pilots to explain-I will only mention the fact that these guys set up their own companies, that sign the commercial contract with FR and serve them like they were some freelancers or so. No employers' rights-simply because they are... well contrahents!
Anyways: tickets are cheap. Yes. Money is rolling into the coffers of shareholders.yes. Few people in FR HQ is making good money (salary), apart MOL I assess maybe 5 more people. Rest: managers, lower managers, labs IT guys, receptionists, base supers, instructors, Cabin Crew Supervisors, Cabin crew- in my opinion make not enough comparing to the stress levels they have to endure. And salaries on offer in other Airlines.
FR place is (I refuse to call it a "workplace" as not to give too much of credibility, or nobility): machiaveliian, demeaning, scary, bringing the-worse-out-of-people, backstabbing, dehumanizing, patronising, full-of-bullies, place to spend the prime of your years.
What is my general view?
Well, this is the pinacle of XIX c style taylorism in corporationism of modern workers oppression.
It can only thrive because:
it provides "cheap" (not "in great value") service to the public. It thrives, because: general travelling public is not aware, or chooses to turn blind eye, or simply doesnt care to the fact that 10ns of Thousands of young people of Europe has been, is being, will be - Used by this slaveshop.
It thrives becaause nobody boycotts FR like it shoul be for they sinister practices, of which I only mentioned a few.
It thrives because, theres perhaps no solidarity in us?
If I were running competition company:
I would only re-address the "joining fee" (cabin crew)
Legality of "hiring" model (pilots)
If these two elements are out of FR control and back to the standards laid out by UN, ILO and the likes- the whole FR scam is collapsing in the matter of weeks.
It hasnt been challenged yet, because competition is NOT interested in this: they are hopin to inroduce the same malicious practices into their own corporate lives one day! They are only disallowed to do the same: because they are mostly based in countries with stronger labour laws! Which not happened to be Republic of Ireland (where mistreatment of workforce is a plenty in my opinion)...
you may disagree
I understand this
U may want to join FR- I appreciate it.
But please consider all this what I wrote and have a moment to reflect upon it.
Thank you for your attention
