Ryanair charged by French court over employment practices

Ryanair has been charged with illegal work practices after legal proceedings were brought by French prosecutors (RTE News/AFP, 28-Sep-2010). Concerns were voiced in May-2010 about the employment contracts and tax arrangements of French employees at the airline's Marseille base, with Ryanair claiming employment takes place on Irish-registered aircraft, which are Irish, not French, property and territory. The charges relate to banning concealed employment and preventing workplace councils from operating and preventing access to unions. Ryanair, which has previously threatened to close its Marseille base if court proceedings challenge their employment practices, has taken its case to the European Court of Human Rights.