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Alaska Airlines to replace FA uniforms for health reasons

Alaska Airlines to replace FA uniforms for health reasons

Old Jul 27, 2013, 9:21 am
  #1  
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Alaska Airlines to replace FA uniforms for health reasons

From Yahoo! News

As the numbers of employees reporting mysterious illnesses keeps growing, Seattle-based Alaska Airlines has decided to replace the uniforms worn by its 3,200 flight attendants nationwide.

“Honestly, they’ve been frustrated with how long it’s taken to get to this point, but we are very happy to see that we are transitioning to a new uniform,” said Jeffrey Peterson, president of Alaska Airlines flight attendants union.

The union is convinced that rashes, headaches and hair loss and respiratory problems are linking to the uniforms flight attendants have been wearing since January of 2011.
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Old Jul 27, 2013, 10:21 am
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I hope they're not talking about the sweaters, I think they look great.
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Old Jul 27, 2013, 1:59 pm
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all I can say is a quote from Charlie Brown. "good grief"

What are these uniforms made out of? Some sort of fabric thats not from planet earth or what? Im aware some people cant wear wool but come on now.
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Old Jul 27, 2013, 3:12 pm
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Wow this has gone on for quite a while... The company was even dry cleaning them IIRC. Wonder if the style will change?
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Old Jul 27, 2013, 3:22 pm
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Originally Posted by ANC
all I can say is a quote from Charlie Brown. "good grief"

What are these uniforms made out of? Some sort of fabric thats not from planet earth or what? Im aware some people cant wear wool but come on now.
Maybe they're using depleted uranium...
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Old Jul 28, 2013, 8:20 am
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well dont the GA/CSA wear the same stuff? No medical issues from them? And its unfounded and still not proven that the uniforms are really causing the FAs rashes and the like. Could it be something on the new aircraft? Although if that was the case you would think passengers who are VERY frequent flyers would also have symptoms

Last edited by ANC; Jul 28, 2013 at 10:17 am
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Old Jul 28, 2013, 11:02 am
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Originally Posted by IStream
I hope they're not talking about the sweaters, I think they look great.
Originally Posted by beckoa
Wonder if the style will change?
Unfortunately, yes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnO5xDgTiOI

At least there's some color. While that's just a sample of the interim uniform, I'm sad it doesn't have any of the character of the current uniform.
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Old Jul 28, 2013, 11:19 am
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Lands End is a good vendor (even though they have been owned by Sears for a decade), so I suspect the new uniforms will be a success. I just really have to wonder what was in the present uniforms that could have possibly been resulting in all these problems.
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Old Jul 28, 2013, 12:15 pm
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Originally Posted by EIPremier
Lands End is a good vendor (even though they have been owned by Sears for a decade), .
Been to their headquarters a few times and currently they are hurting for business. Seems everything sears buys they run into the ground
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Old Jul 28, 2013, 12:43 pm
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Originally Posted by EIPremier
Lands End is a good vendor (even though they have been owned by Sears for a decade), so I suspect the new uniforms will be a success. I just really have to wonder what was in the present uniforms that could have possibly been resulting in all these problems.
Could be anything from a flame retardant, to a synthetic fiber emitting a toxic substance, to the packaging - who knows.
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Old Jul 28, 2013, 12:54 pm
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Correct, the OP should say that FA's and CSA's are getting new uniforms with Land's End replacing Twinhill. The symptoms have been reported across all groups wearing them.
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Old Jul 28, 2013, 2:27 pm
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Originally Posted by dc333
Correct, the OP should say that FA's and CSA's are getting new uniforms with Land's End replacing Twinhill. The symptoms have been reported across all groups wearing them.
The OP (yours truly) was simply sharing information and had no knowledge of the Lands End involvement. Sorry about that. My thanks to others for providing the additional pertinent information.

And you can never, ever should have done something.
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Old Jul 28, 2013, 2:38 pm
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http://ashsd.afacwa.org/?zone=/union...&HomeID=160011

Regarding arsenic, lead, and chromium in fabrics: Significantly, heavy metals fabric data commissioned by Alaska Airlines and completed in Aug. 2012 reported that 13 of 35 fabric samples appeared to have excess levels of arsenic and lead, 6 of 35 samples appeared to have excess levels of chromium (not hexavalent), and one had excess hexavalent chromium, all as compared to the Oeko-Tex 100 fabric standard. AFA-CWA has not been provided with the names of the arsenic, lead, and chromium-containing compounds in these fabrics, but these test data confirm their presence.
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Old Jul 28, 2013, 2:45 pm
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Originally Posted by Eastbay1K
http://ashsd.afacwa.org/?zone=/union...&HomeID=160011

Regarding arsenic, lead, and chromium in fabrics: Significantly, heavy metals fabric data commissioned by Alaska Airlines and completed in Aug. 2012 reported that 13 of 35 fabric samples appeared to have excess levels of arsenic and lead, 6 of 35 samples appeared to have excess levels of chromium (not hexavalent), and one had excess hexavalent chromium, all as compared to the Oeko-Tex 100 fabric standard. AFA-CWA has not been provided with the names of the arsenic, lead, and chromium-containing compounds in these fabrics, but these test data confirm their presence.
Wow, it will soon be a moot point but the current haberdashery needs to come with MSDS's!
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Old Jul 28, 2013, 5:56 pm
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Originally Posted by Eastbay1K
http://ashsd.afacwa.org/?zone=/union...&HomeID=160011

Regarding arsenic, lead, and chromium in fabrics: Significantly, heavy metals fabric data commissioned by Alaska Airlines and completed in Aug. 2012 reported that 13 of 35 fabric samples appeared to have excess levels of arsenic and lead, 6 of 35 samples appeared to have excess levels of chromium (not hexavalent), and one had excess hexavalent chromium, all as compared to the Oeko-Tex 100 fabric standard. AFA-CWA has not been provided with the names of the arsenic, lead, and chromium-containing compounds in these fabrics, but these test data confirm their presence.
good lord
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