Delta Air Lines flight attendants have sued Lands’ End, the clothing manufacturer of the uniforms worn by approximately 64,000 Delta employees, alleging that the uniforms made them sick.
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The class-action suit was filed in the Western District of Wisconsin Court. Lands’ End is based in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Bruce Maxwell, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs, says a total of 525 Delta employees are represented in the lawsuit, and over 90% of these are flight attendants.
According to the lawsuit, filed on December 31, 2019, the uniforms were first used by Delta employees on May 29, 2018. In the months since being introduced, the lawsuit says that multiple users of the uniforms (including customer service and flight attendants, ramp and gate agents) have had health issues like anxiety, blisters, boils, fatigue, hair loss, headaches, hives, nosebleeds, rashes, respiratory illnesses, sinus problems and more.
Maxwell said, “These uniforms are very hazardous to the affected workers. Unfortunately, once exposed to a certain degree, these workers are sensitized to the particular heavy metals and/or chemicals involved and become proximity reactors which basically means that merely being in close to the offending uniform will cause a set off of the adverse reactions, the various symptoms listed in the complaint.” The items worn by the employees include blouses, dresses, jackets, pants, shirts, skirts and sweaters. The lawsuit says the materials are “high stretch, wrinkle and stain-resistant, waterproof, anti-static and deodorizing.” The lawsuit says that the chemical additives used to make the clothing cause allergic reactions.
In a statement to Business Insider, Delta defended using the uniforms. “Our top priority continues to be the safety of our employees, which is why we invested in a rigorous toxicology study to determine if there was a universal scientific issue with the uniform,” a Delta spokesperson said in the statement. “The results of the study confirm our uniforms meet the highest textile standards — OEKO-TEX — with the exception of the optional flight attendant apron, which we removed from the collection.”
The plaintiffs seek damages for personal injuries, pain and suffering, emotional, financial and economic loss, and distress; additionally they want the uniforms recalled by Lands’ End.
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