With out having read the actual language of the agreement, I agree in principle.

Would he have purchased the uniforms without the expectation of continued employment? Perhaps I'm wrong, but I'm guessing they were purchased for this specific job. Why does the company not bear some burden of responsibility for having planned poorly? The agreement was x$ per paycheck, with the implied understanding that those paychecks would continue until the debt (incurred for this specific job) was repaid.

Delta CHOSE to shut down the company - they should eat it, not the individual. If they choose to keep him on in some capacity until the debt is repaid - that's fine. If HE chooses to leave before that time, he should bear the burden of repayment.

I'm amazed at the overall consensus on this one! Mother Delta made a choice - that choice had costs associated with it. It is not the burden of the employee to bear the costs of their poor planning and decision making.