Delta employees sue clothing manufacturer, say uniforms made them sick

In a strange piece of news coming in from Wisconsin, Delta Airlines workers have filed a class-action lawsuit against the clothing manufacturer who provides them uniforms. According to international media reports, the employees say that the uniforms provided by Land's End made them sick.

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Delta employees vs Land's End

According to reports, a lawsuit was filed at US District Court in Wisconsin on December 31 on behalf of 525 Delta employees. The lawsuit reportedly said that uniforms provided by Land's End to 64,000 Delta employees led to severe respiratory illnesses, sinus issues, rashes, boils, blisters, hair loss, hives, headaches, fatigue, nosebleeds, and anxiety, among other health issues. A similar lawsuit was filed by two Delta flight attendants in New York in May. 

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The uniforms provided by Land's End to Delta Airlines are used by ticket checkers, flight attendants, airport customer service employees, SkyClub workers. Maxwell, the lead attorney in the case reportedly said that the uniforms are very hazardous to employees' health. Delta Airlines workers now want Land's End to withdraw the uniforms and initiate a health monitoring programme for affected employees.

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Despite the lawsuit, Delta Airlines reportedly said that the uniforms are absolutely fine and are safe to wear. They further said that the Delta conducted a rigorous toxicology study to determine if there was any scientific issue with the uniform and it found that the uniforms meet the highest textile standards. Meanwhile, workers who conducted their own tests say the uniform has unsafe levels of chemicals like fluorine, bromine, chromium etcetera. 

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A report issued by a workplace safety watchdog in the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention last June recommended that Delta offer their employees alternative uniforms to wear. The report concluded that it is possible for employees to have skin reactions by the chemicals present in the uniform fabrics.