Brussels, 31/08/2004 (Agence Europe) - The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) launched on Wednesday an Internet site to give employees of the Irish low-cost airline company, Ryanair, a forum for free and anonymous discussion. The initiative was taken after ITF had been told by "some of the Ryanair workers that they were afraid they might jeopardise their jobs if they were seen to be trying to assert their rights", a press release from the association states. It goes on to explain that the president of the company, Michael O'Leary is "famously hostile to unions" and that the company refuses to recognise a trade union for its staff. The ITF is therefore providing employees of the company with a forum for discussing issues relating to their working conditions and for entering into contact with trade union organisations in their home countries. The site is also open to the public. According to ITF General Secretary David Cockroft, "one of the first visitors to the site will be Mr O'Leary, closely followed by his lawyers. He's welcome to look. We have nothing to hide except the names of the Ryanair staff who want to enjoy the right to free speech". "Ryanair claims it is not anti-union, it is pro-employee. Good. We're happy to help them prove it", Mr Cockroft concluded not without humour. (The address of the site is: http://www.ryan-be-fair.org ).