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For Immediate Release: November 9, 2012
Contact: Corey Caldwell 202-434-0586
More Than 400 Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Suffer Health
Issues From Contaminated Uniforms
Union Demands Recall of Uniforms and Files Grievance Alleging
Management's Failure to Provide a Safe and Healthy Work Place
Washington, DC – More than 400 Alaska Airlines Flight
Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight
Attendants-CWA (AFA), have reported significant health issues
while or after wearing uniforms issued by management. Most
reports describe skin symptoms – rash, hives, redness, or
itching – while a growing number indicate abnormal thyroid
functions, hair loss, eye irritation/inflammation, fatigue,
shortness of breath, congestion, coughing, and asthma.
Shortly after Alaska Airlines management issued new uniforms to
the nearly 3,000 Flight Attendants in 2011, AFA began receiving
reports regarding health issues of crewmembers while on duty.
AFA quickly suspected that the uniforms were responsible and
began extensive testing. Results from scientific analysis on the
uniforms indicated that several pieces of the uniforms contained
detectable levels of an allergenic dye.
“For the safety and health of Alaska Flight Attendants, we are
demanding that management work with us to immediately recall
these hazardous uniforms and issue new pieces that are safe
alternatives and not harmful to crewmembers and our families,”
said Jeffrey Peterson, AFA Alaska President. “Because management
is unwilling to recall the uniform at this time, the union has
filed a contractual grievance alleging management's failure to
provide a safe and healthy work place. We will continue to press
management to do the right thing, but AFA will put this dispute
before a neutral arbitrator if necessary.”
The Association of Flight Attendants is the world’s largest
Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant
issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight
Attendant profession for 67 years. Serving as the voice for
Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in
the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight
Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working
conditions. Nearly 60,000 Flight Attendants come together to
form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications
Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at
www.afacwa.org .
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