When American Airlines rolled out new crew uniforms last September, it was the first redesign of the uniforms in more than 30 years. Since then, the airline has distributed more than one million articles of clothing to its 70,000+ employees.
But crew members are decidedly unhappy with their new ensemble. More than 4,000 employees, including pilots and flight attendants, have registered grievances with the airline alleging that the uniforms cause health issues ranging from rashes to headaches to respiratory problems.
The large-scale and vocal opposition to the uniforms eventually caused AA to announce it would end its contract with Twin Hill, the uniform manufacturer, in 2020. Unions hailed the decision, but also expressed regret that more wasn't being done in the short term.
Now two flight attendants are taking the issue to the courts. According to the Chicago Business Journal, two Chicago-based attendants, Thor Zurbriggen and Dena Catan have filed a federal class action suit against Twin Hill.
Dena Catan is the spouse of pilot Joe Catan, who confronted American Airlines president Robert Isom over the uniforms earlier this year, telling him, "I do not have a safe environment in the cockpit."
The suit is asking Twin Hill to stop selling the uniforms and to recall the ones that have already been issued. It is also asking for a medical fund to pay to monitor flight attendants for any health issues developed by wearing the uniform.
Twin Hill, which is owned by Men's Wearhouse, says they've done significant testing and there is no evidence that links the flight attendants' health issues with their uniforms.
This is not the first time Twin Hill has faced legal action from an airline crew. In 2013, litigation against the apparel manufacturer was filed by Alaska Airlines flight attendants. The class-action suit, eventually joined by 164 Alaska Airlines flight attendants, also claimed the uniforms made them ill. In 2016, the Court ruled that there was no reliable evidence linking the uniforms to the reported health issues.
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"We were able to demonstrate to the Court, through rigorous testing supported by expert testimony, that our uniforms are safe and could not have caused the injuries these attendants claimed," said Christopher Collopy, Vice President of Twin Hill after the ruling was handed down in 2016.
Twin Hill continues to point to that ruling as evidence that crew claims are "without merit."
When asked for a response to the new AA lawsuit, a Twin Hills spokesperson said, "We continue to believe that any lawsuit filed on the basis of the safety of the American uniforms is without merit, and we intend to contest this action vigorously."
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