American Airlines workers say they've hit turbulence with uncomfortable new uniforms.
The carrier's flight attendants’ union called on the company last week
to recall its new uniforms, alleging more than 1,600 employees had
reported experiencing “headaches, rashes, hives, burning skin and eye
irritation, itching, and respiratory problems — to name a few.”
“The growing number of reports of suspected reactions, triggered by
both direct and indirect contact with the uniform, has prompted APFA to
ask that all uniforms be recalled until further joint testing with the
Company can be completed,” the Association of Professional Flight
Attendants, which reps 26,000 American Airlines flight attendants, said
in a memo.
American Airlines in September rolled out snazzy new wool uniforms to
70,000 frontline workers — the company’s first sartorial update in
almost 30 years. The getups were manufactured by Twin Hill, a Men’s
Wearhouse corporate-apparel subsidiary.
In the face of soaring complaints, American has established an employee
call center, allowed some workers to wear alternate uniforms, and
conducted three rounds of testing on the garments that uncovered “no
health risk,” American spokeswoman LaKesha Brown told the Daily News.
Next, she said, American and its flight attendants’ union will conduct
joint testing and offer dermatological testing to a sample of employees
reporting the afflictions.
“The comfort and safety of our employees is very important,” Brown
said. “We take all issues regarding our teammates seriously.”
Still, the union — telling members to revert to their old uniforms
regardless of whether they’d experienced symptoms — urged the company to
go a step further.
“While the Company has reaffirmed its commitment to continue joint
testing with APFA to determine what is causing these conditions, it has
stopped short of a full recall,” it said in the memo. “We feel a remedy
that excludes a full recall of the uniform fails to adequately protect
our members.”
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