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United Steelworkers Local 13-1

From WikiMesothelioma — Mesothelioma Knowledge Base
United Steelworkers Local 13-1
Texas City & the Texas Gulf Coast
Parent Union United Steelworkers (USW)
District USW District 13 (Texas, Louisiana, and the Gulf South)
Type Amalgamated local (Galveston & Harris Counties)
Headquarters 2327 Texas Avenue, Texas City, TX 77590
President Brandi Sanders (President & Labor Educator)
Industries Oil refining, petrochemicals, chemical manufacturing, gasket production
Website usw131.org

Executive Summary

United Steelworkers (USW) Local 13-1 is an amalgamated local of the United Steelworkers representing workers across the oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and chemical-manufacturing facilities of the Texas Gulf Coast, headquartered in Texas City, Texas. It is one of the Gulf Coast's largest amalgamated locals, with bargaining units spanning Galveston and Harris Counties — including the Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, the Pemex Deer Park Refinery, INEOS Aromatics and Styrolutions, Dow Chemical, Evonik, Nouryon, PCI Nitrogen, and Lamons Gaskets.[1] The local sits within USW District 13, which covers Texas, Louisiana, and the surrounding Gulf South — the heart of the United States oil-refining and petrochemical industry.[2]

Refinery and petrochemical workers along the Texas Gulf Coast carried a substantial asbestos burden for most of the 20th century. The pipe insulation, block lagging, gaskets, packing, and refractory linings used on boilers, columns, heat exchangers, and miles of process piping at Gulf Coast plants built and maintained from the 1940s through the early 1980s were heavily asbestos-containing.[3] Decades of epidemiological research — beginning with Dr. Irving Selikoff's landmark 1964 cohort — established that workers exposed to asbestos insulation in industrial settings face sharply elevated rates of mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, and asbestosis.[4][5]

Today, retired Local 13-1 members and their families diagnosed with mesothelioma may pursue compensation through asbestos bankruptcy trusts, personal injury claims against the solvent manufacturers of asbestos-containing products, and — for the many members who are also military veterans — VA benefits, without any claim against the union, the contractor, or the plant operator.[6] This page documents Local 13-1's history, represented facilities, leadership, and the asbestos exposure context relevant to its membership.

At-a-Glance

USW Local 13-1 at a glance:

  • Parent union: United Steelworkers (USW), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[7]
  • District: USW District 13 — Texas, Louisiana, and the Gulf South[2]
  • Local type: amalgamated local representing many employers across Galveston and Harris Counties[1]
  • Headquarters: 2327 Texas Avenue, Texas City, Texas 77590
  • Anchor facility: Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery, Texas City — one of the largest refineries in the United States[1]
  • Other represented sites: Pemex Deer Park Refinery, Allegiance Refinery, INEOS Aromatics, INEOS Styrolutions, Dow Chemical, Evonik, Nouryon, PCI Nitrogen, Lamons Gaskets, Baker Hughes, and municipal units in Texas City, La Marque, and Galveston[1]
  • Primary industries: oil refining, petrochemicals, chemical manufacturing, and gasket production — all historically asbestos-intensive environments[3]
  • President: Brandi Sanders, who also serves as the local's Labor Educator
  • Exposure era: roughly 1940 through the early 1980s for asbestos-containing insulation, gaskets, packing, and refractory in Gulf Coast plants[3]
  • Mesothelioma latency: 20 to 60 years from first exposure, placing pre-1980 exposures on today's diagnosis calendars[8]

Key Facts

Measure Detail (Source)
Parent union United Steelworkers (USW), USW District 13[2]
Headquarters 2327 Texas Avenue, Texas City, TX 77590
Anchor refinery Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery, Texas City[1]
Represented industries Refining, petrochemicals, chemical manufacturing, gaskets[1]
Highest-risk exposure pathway Asbestos pipe insulation, block lagging, gaskets, and refractory on refinery and petrochemical units[3]
Mesothelioma latency 20–60 years from first exposure (Lacourt et al., Eur Respir J, 2012)[8]
Notable history 2005 BP Texas City Refinery explosion (15 killed, 170+ injured) shaped the local's process-safety advocacy[9]
Compensation streams Asbestos bankruptcy trusts, personal injury lawsuits, and VA benefits for service-connected veterans[6][10]

Who does USW Local 13-1 represent?

USW Local 13-1 is an amalgamated local, meaning it represents workers at many different employers under a single local charter rather than a single plant. Its bargaining units span the refining and petrochemical corridor of Galveston and Harris Counties.[1] The local's anchor unit is the Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City — one of the largest refineries in the United States — but its contracts extend across a broad slate of Gulf Coast industrial employers.

Represented facilities include the Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery, the Pemex Deer Park Refinery, Allegiance Refinery, INEOS Aromatics, INEOS Styrolutions, Dow Chemical, Evonik, Nouryon, PCI Nitrogen, Lamons Gaskets, Baker Hughes, BWC Terminals, International Paper, and municipal workforces in the cities of Texas City, La Marque, and Galveston, along with Galveston County.[1] The common thread across the industrial units is the refining and petrochemical process environment — and the asbestos-containing materials that defined that environment for decades.

Why do USW Local 13-1 members face asbestos and mesothelioma risk?

Oil refineries and petrochemical plants were among the most asbestos-intensive workplaces in American industry. Process units run at extreme temperatures and pressures, and for most of the 20th century the only practical way to insulate them was with asbestos-containing pipe lagging, block insulation, refractory cement, and spray-applied fireproofing.[3] Asbestos was also woven into the gaskets and packing that sealed flanges, valves, and pumps throughout a plant — the precise materials a represented employer such as Lamons Gaskets historically produced.

Refinery and petrochemical workers encountered these materials directly and as bystanders. During turnarounds — the periodic shutdowns when units are stripped, repaired, and re-insulated — operators, maintenance crews, and contractors worked shoulder to shoulder in confined spaces thick with airborne fiber.[3] Dr. Irving Selikoff's 1964 cohort established that workers exposed to asbestos insulation carry sharply elevated mesothelioma mortality, a finding confirmed across decades of surveillance literature.[4] The National Cancer Institute identifies industrial asbestos exposure as the dominant cause of mesothelioma.[5] Because mesothelioma latency runs 20 to 60 years, members exposed during the build-out and maintenance of the 1950s through 1970s are presenting with diagnoses today.[8]

Who was responsible for the asbestos exposure?

Responsibility for asbestos disease among Gulf Coast refinery and petrochemical workers runs to the manufacturers of the asbestos-containing products — the companies that mined, processed, and sold raw asbestos and made the pipe insulation, block, gaskets, packing, and refractory used at the plants. Many of those manufacturers, including Johns-Manville, Owens-Corning Fiberglas, Pittsburgh Corning, and others, filed bankruptcy and now pay claims through asbestos personal injury trusts.[6]

USW Local 13-1 did not manufacture these products and is not the responsible party in a mesothelioma claim. A diagnosis does not require action against the union, against a fellow member, or against the plant operator. Claims by Local 13-1 members name the product manufacturers and their bankrupt-trust successors.

What compensation is available to Local 13-1 members and families?

Three compensation streams are typically available, and most cases pursue them in parallel:

  • Asbestos bankruptcy trust funds. The Section 524(g) trust system holds more than $30 billion in remaining assets and pays claims in three to six months without a court appearance.[11]
  • Personal injury lawsuits against solvent manufacturers. Asbestos manufacturers that did not file bankruptcy are pursued through civil litigation; Texas mesothelioma cases regularly produce seven-figure recoveries.[6]
  • VA disability for service-connected veterans. Many Gulf Coast refinery workers are also Navy, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps veterans whose first asbestos exposure occurred in service. The VA recognizes asbestos as a service-connected hazardous material, and veterans with mesothelioma qualify for a 100% disability rating ($3,938.58 per month in 2026).[10]

Family members exposed through take-home fibers — carried home on a worker's clothing, hair, and vehicle before modern decontamination rules — qualify for the same trust claims and lawsuits when diagnosed.[5]

Who leads USW Local 13-1?

Brandi Sanders serves as President of USW Local 13-1 and as the local's Labor Educator. She has been an officer of the local since 2007, serving in a variety of roles before ascending to the presidency. As Labor Educator, Sanders helps members understand their rights under collective bargaining agreements and connects the rank and file to the broader educational resources of the United Steelworkers International. She holds a Master of Science in Geoscience with a concentration in Geophysics from Texas A&M University — a technical background closely related to the energy and petrochemical industries her members work in. Member and contract inquiries are handled through the Local 13-1 union office in Texas City and the local's website at usw131.org.

What role did the 2005 Texas City refinery disaster play in the local's history?

The Texas City industrial corridor carries a significant safety legacy. On March 23, 2005, an explosion at the BP Texas City Refinery killed 15 workers and injured more than 170 others — one of the worst industrial accidents in modern U.S. history.[9] The U.S. Chemical Safety Board's investigation made process-safety failures a national issue. That history shaped USW Local 13-1's emphasis on process-safety reform, worker health protections, and accountability in the petrochemical industry, and a fallen-worker memorial stands as a permanent reminder. (The 2005 explosion was a hydrocarbon process-safety incident and is distinct from the long-latency asbestos exposure described above.)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is USW Local 13-1?

USW Local 13-1 is an amalgamated local of the United Steelworkers representing oil-refinery, petrochemical, chemical-manufacturing, and municipal workers across Galveston and Harris Counties on the Texas Gulf Coast. It is headquartered in Texas City, Texas, and sits within USW District 13.[1][2]

Which facilities does Local 13-1 represent?

Local 13-1's bargaining units include the Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, the Pemex Deer Park Refinery, Allegiance Refinery, INEOS Aromatics and Styrolutions, Dow Chemical, Evonik, Nouryon, PCI Nitrogen, Lamons Gaskets, Baker Hughes, BWC Terminals, International Paper, and municipal workforces in Texas City, La Marque, and Galveston.[1]

Why are refinery and petrochemical workers at risk for mesothelioma?

Refineries and chemical plants relied on asbestos-containing pipe insulation, block lagging, gaskets, packing, and refractory for most of the 20th century. Workers handled and breathed these materials directly during operations and turnarounds. Asbestos exposure is the dominant cause of mesothelioma, and the disease can take 20 to 60 years to appear after first exposure.[4][5][8]

Can USW Local 13-1 be sued for a member's mesothelioma?

No. The union did not manufacture the asbestos products that exposed its members. Liability runs to the product manufacturers — companies such as Johns-Manville, Owens-Corning Fiberglas, and Pittsburgh Corning, most of which now pay claims through asbestos bankruptcy trusts. Claims do not name the union, the contractor, or the plant operator.[6]

What compensation can a Local 13-1 member or family receive?

Three streams typically run in parallel: asbestos bankruptcy trust claims (the trust system holds more than $30 billion in remaining assets), personal injury lawsuits against solvent manufacturers, and VA disability for service-connected veterans (100% rating, $3,938.58 per month in 2026). Family members exposed through take-home fibers qualify for the same trust claims and lawsuits.[11][10]

Who is the president of USW Local 13-1?

Brandi Sanders is President of USW Local 13-1 and also serves as the local's Labor Educator. She has been a local officer since 2007 and holds a Master of Science in Geoscience (Geophysics) from Texas A&M University. Member inquiries are handled through the union office in Texas City and at usw131.org.

Quick Statistics

  • USW District 13: covers Texas, Louisiana, and the Gulf South[2]
  • Headquarters: Texas City, Texas — center of the Gulf Coast refining corridor
  • Anchor facility: Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery, among the largest U.S. refineries[1]
  • Exposure era: ~1940 to early 1980s for asbestos insulation, gaskets, and refractory[3]
  • Mesothelioma latency: 20–60 years from first exposure[8]
  • OSHA permissible exposure limit (current): 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter — a protection absent for most of the relevant work years[3]
  • 2005 BP Texas City explosion: 15 killed, 170+ injured (process-safety incident)[9]
  • VA disability (100% rating, 2026): $3,938.58 per month for service-connected mesothelioma[10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 USW Local 13-1 — Represented Facilities and Contracts, United Steelworkers Local 13-1 (official website).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 USW District Map — District 13 (Texas, Louisiana, Gulf South), United Steelworkers.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Asbestos — Overview and Standards, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Selikoff IJ, Churg J, Hammond EC. Asbestos exposure and neoplasia. JAMA. 1964;188:22-26.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Asbestos Exposure and Cancer Risk, National Cancer Institute.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Asbestos Exposure Lawyers, Danziger & De Llano.
  7. ↑ The United Steelworkers, USW (international union, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania).
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Lacourt A, Leffondré K, Gramond C, et al. Temporal patterns of occupational asbestos exposure and risk of pleural mesothelioma. Eur Respir J. 2012;39(6):1304-1312.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 BP America (Texas City) Refinery Explosion, March 23, 2005, U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Asbestos Exposure (Hazardous Materials), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Mesothelioma Asbestos Trust Fund Payouts, Danziger & De Llano.
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