UAW Auto Workers
Union locals: UAW Local 72 (Kenosha AMC/Chrysler — plant closed 2010) · Local 95 (Janesville GM — plant idled 2008) · Local 578 (Oshkosh Truck) · Local 833 (Kohler Co.) · Local 180 (Case/CNH Racine)
How UAW Auto Workers Were Exposed to Asbestos
During normal duties, UAW Auto Workers were routinely exposed to asbestos-containing materials in Wisconsin industrial, commercial, and public construction work from the 1930s through the 1980s. Documented exposure pathways drawn from public litigation records and industrial hygiene literature include:
- Grinding and arc-grinding asbestos brake linings at Kenosha AMC, Janesville GM, Oshkosh, and Case Racine plants
- Handling asbestos clutch facings and friction products during build
- Casting work with asbestos-containing refractory at Kohler foundry
- Bystander exposure to insulation work on plant utility piping
- Cleanup duties with airborne fiber in stamping and paint shops
Why This Matters for Wisconsin Workers
If you worked as a uaw auto workers in Wisconsin during the asbestos era and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or pleural disease, you may have a legal claim — even if your employer is no longer in business. Many asbestos product manufacturers have established bankruptcy trust funds that continue to pay qualified claimants based on documented exposure history.
Wisconsin Filing Deadlines — Two Separate Clocks
Wisconsin keeps the personal-injury clock (Wis. Stat. § 893.54 — 3 years from diagnosis) and the wrongful-death clock (Wis. Stat. § 895.04 — 3 years from date of death) on separate, independent tracks. Preserving one does not extend the other. An experienced Wisconsin asbestos attorney can keep both options open as your situation evolves.
Talk to an Experienced Wisconsin Asbestos Attorney
A free, confidential consultation with O’Brien Law Firm can evaluate your specific exposure history and filing-deadline situation. No fee unless they recover compensation.
☎ (314) 588-0558