Steve Wodka

Okay, so here, this is my FBI investigation documents. Everything's in cryological order.

Okay, so here, this is my FBI investigation documents. Everything's in cryological order.

She says, this plant is essentially being operated by a bunch of kids, 18 and 19-year-old kids, kids that were hired off of the local farms. who didn't know anything about radioactive materials and what's going to happen to them as they grow up and this material is inside of them.

She says, this plant is essentially being operated by a bunch of kids, 18 and 19-year-old kids, kids that were hired off of the local farms. who didn't know anything about radioactive materials and what's going to happen to them as they grow up and this material is inside of them.

She was strong. I mean, she knew she was on the right side of things and what was going on in the plant was wrong. And I think I gave her her strength.

She was strong. I mean, she knew she was on the right side of things and what was going on in the plant was wrong. And I think I gave her her strength.

The belief is that that intense radiation that goes on essentially for the rest of the person's life causes lung cancer. So the handling of plutonium is supposed to be very strict. There's supposed to be essentially no contact whatsoever with this material. There's always supposed to be a barrier between the worker and plutonium.

The belief is that that intense radiation that goes on essentially for the rest of the person's life causes lung cancer. So the handling of plutonium is supposed to be very strict. There's supposed to be essentially no contact whatsoever with this material. There's always supposed to be a barrier between the worker and plutonium.

And what was going on in this plant was that barrier was being breached on a daily basis.

And what was going on in this plant was that barrier was being breached on a daily basis.

And Karen said, I'll do it. I'll pull it together. And we say to her, well, okay, report back to me, but keep your profile low or non-existent. No one should know that you're doing this.

And Karen said, I'll do it. I'll pull it together. And we say to her, well, okay, report back to me, but keep your profile low or non-existent. No one should know that you're doing this.

So we were there at the Holiday Inn, and we were waiting. And waiting. It's ours.

So we were there at the Holiday Inn, and we were waiting. And waiting. It's ours.

And I said, something's wrong. So I ended up making phone calls.

And I said, something's wrong. So I ended up making phone calls.

He says to me, Steve, I just learned that she was killed in this auto accident. And Drew is like sitting as close to me as you are. And I had to turn to him and say, my God, you know, she's dead. First, there was grief, primarily for Drew. He was devastated. and uh... He cried. He cried to me.

He says to me, Steve, I just learned that she was killed in this auto accident. And Drew is like sitting as close to me as you are. And I had to turn to him and say, my God, you know, she's dead. First, there was grief, primarily for Drew. He was devastated. and uh... He cried. He cried to me.

We all climbed in Burnham's car, and we drove up the highway, and I don't know how it is that we found it, but we actually found the site.

We all climbed in Burnham's car, and we drove up the highway, and I don't know how it is that we found it, but we actually found the site.

Nobody was there at that time. We're walking around in the dark. It was cold and windy, and I found her paycheck in the mud.

Nobody was there at that time. We're walking around in the dark. It was cold and windy, and I found her paycheck in the mud.

There's no question that the night of November 13th, 1974, she should have stayed right there in Crescent. And Burnham and I should have gone up there, found someplace up there, and just talked to her there. And not have put her at the vulnerability of driving down the highway. There's no question about that.

There's no question that the night of November 13th, 1974, she should have stayed right there in Crescent. And Burnham and I should have gone up there, found someplace up there, and just talked to her there. And not have put her at the vulnerability of driving down the highway. There's no question about that.

We just didn't perceive the danger.

We just didn't perceive the danger.

Breathe out.

Breathe out.

operation.

operation.

They didn't seek to negotiate with its unions. They sought to impose a contract on the workers. And if the workers didn't like the contract, they could go out and strike. And in fact, from late 72 to early 73, there was a nine-week strike.

They didn't seek to negotiate with its unions. They sought to impose a contract on the workers. And if the workers didn't like the contract, they could go out and strike. And in fact, from late 72 to early 73, there was a nine-week strike.

And if you run a safe plant, if you really take the precautions, it cuts into profit.

And if you run a safe plant, if you really take the precautions, it cuts into profit.

The OCAW was, in the early 70s, was a very male-dominated union. The industries that we represent, oil refining, chemical plants, huge nuclear facilities, these were all male-dominated plants. And it was highly unusual that women worked anywhere and that a woman had risen to to a position of leadership in the local union.

The OCAW was, in the early 70s, was a very male-dominated union. The industries that we represent, oil refining, chemical plants, huge nuclear facilities, these were all male-dominated plants. And it was highly unusual that women worked anywhere and that a woman had risen to to a position of leadership in the local union.

Because the company's handling of plutonium were governed by the Atomic Energy Commission. This agency had regulations. It had the power to take...

Because the company's handling of plutonium were governed by the Atomic Energy Commission. This agency had regulations. It had the power to take...

So part of the whole issue was not only was the company doing bad things, but that the Atomic Energy Commission itself hadn't been enforcing the law, hadn't been protecting the workers. And this was the problem. with the Atomic Energy Commission in that they had not come down on this company, even though it was clear that this company was routinely violating the conditions of its license.

So part of the whole issue was not only was the company doing bad things, but that the Atomic Energy Commission itself hadn't been enforcing the law, hadn't been protecting the workers. And this was the problem. with the Atomic Energy Commission in that they had not come down on this company, even though it was clear that this company was routinely violating the conditions of its license.

You have to understand, there were all these contamination incidents at the plant leading up through to 1974. Kerbegee was never fined a dollar.

You have to understand, there were all these contamination incidents at the plant leading up through to 1974. Kerbegee was never fined a dollar.

So I'm working with them and we're going over everything. And then this whole issue of quality control starts coming up. And it's something we had never heard of before and something we had never dealt with before.

So I'm working with them and we're going over everything. And then this whole issue of quality control starts coming up. And it's something we had never heard of before and something we had never dealt with before.

They said, Material and rods that should have failed were being passed. And we think you should know about that.

They said, Material and rods that should have failed were being passed. And we think you should know about that.

The more we thought about this, it was, you know, there could be a meltdown.

The more we thought about this, it was, you know, there could be a meltdown.

We said, okay, look, we've never heard of something like this before. And if you're going to level a charge like this against Kern-McGee, it's got to be documented. People have got to see it. how and where the quality control tests and checks were falsified.

We said, okay, look, we've never heard of something like this before. And if you're going to level a charge like this against Kern-McGee, it's got to be documented. People have got to see it. how and where the quality control tests and checks were falsified.

We were concerned that she was going to get fired. That was the worst thing that we thought could possibly happen. That was about the limit. That was where we were wrong.

We were concerned that she was going to get fired. That was the worst thing that we thought could possibly happen. That was about the limit. That was where we were wrong.

We wanted to see what we could do to bring maximum pressure on them in order so that the local can get a decent contract.

We wanted to see what we could do to bring maximum pressure on them in order so that the local can get a decent contract.

And I said, you know, Karen, I can't take notes on this. I've got to tape you. Can I turn it on?

And I said, you know, Karen, I can't take notes on this. I've got to tape you. Can I turn it on?

Okay, now, talking to Karen Silkwood, and today is... Monday, October 7th. I've been discussing what's been going on in the last week since the people from Kerr and McGee are up here.

Okay, now, talking to Karen Silkwood, and today is... Monday, October 7th. I've been discussing what's been going on in the last week since the people from Kerr and McGee are up here.

All right, now what about this getting to these kids joking about getting hot?

All right, now what about this getting to these kids joking about getting hot?

Okay, then what happened with this gal who you had talked to about plutonium and cancer, and she got all concerned. How did that come about again? Okay.

Okay, then what happened with this gal who you had talked to about plutonium and cancer, and she got all concerned. How did that come about again? Okay.

When did the smear come out?

When did the smear come out?

No, no, no, hold on, hold on, hold on. What I'm trying to tell you, what I found out when I was in Minnesota about plutonium getting into your lung and these particles getting into your lung. Well, when these two doctors, when you guys meet up with these two doctors, these doctors are going to flip out when they hear the stories you have to tell.

No, no, no, hold on, hold on, hold on. What I'm trying to tell you, what I found out when I was in Minnesota about plutonium getting into your lung and these particles getting into your lung. Well, when these two doctors, when you guys meet up with these two doctors, these doctors are going to flip out when they hear the stories you have to tell.

Sure as hell does.

Sure as hell does.

But the whole point is, is that Plutonium is so carcinogenic, is so potent, that it's now figured that, you know, under the conditions that you work under in that kind of a plant, you don't have to work there for five years. You might only have to work there for one friggin' month, and you've got enough of a body burden to cause cancer.

But the whole point is, is that Plutonium is so carcinogenic, is so potent, that it's now figured that, you know, under the conditions that you work under in that kind of a plant, you don't have to work there for five years. You might only have to work there for one friggin' month, and you've got enough of a body burden to cause cancer.

Well, yes, I'm going to tell you that, because I told you. If the union loses this election, I tell you, Karen, you better get the out of there. I'll be gone.

Well, yes, I'm going to tell you that, because I told you. If the union loses this election, I tell you, Karen, you better get the out of there. I'll be gone.

That place is going to turn into a hellhole. I'm going to shut them down before I go. Well, yeah, we've got ideas on that, too. And we know what their Achilles heel is. But, I mean, you know, turn the tape off for this.

That place is going to turn into a hellhole. I'm going to shut them down before I go. Well, yeah, we've got ideas on that, too. And we know what their Achilles heel is. But, I mean, you know, turn the tape off for this.

If she truly had fallen asleep at the wheel, she'd be alive. She would have lived. So only by being awake... and trying to hold this car on course, which you have the trajectory that she did.

If she truly had fallen asleep at the wheel, she'd be alive. She would have lived. So only by being awake... and trying to hold this car on course, which you have the trajectory that she did.

To me, it was more like an amateur job. Somebody else who, much, much lower, someone who didn't have access to the corporate power, someone whose job would have been directly on the line, realized what was going on with the documents. I think that they probably had the most to lose.

To me, it was more like an amateur job. Somebody else who, much, much lower, someone who didn't have access to the corporate power, someone whose job would have been directly on the line, realized what was going on with the documents. I think that they probably had the most to lose.

They open up the garage. And these three people show up. Well, only two of them were with the AEC.

They open up the garage. And these three people show up. Well, only two of them were with the AEC.

In order to survey things for plutonium, like a spiral notebook with 50 pages in it, you just can't just wand around. the top of it and say it's clean. You've got to go page by page by page to see if there's any contamination in it.

In order to survey things for plutonium, like a spiral notebook with 50 pages in it, you just can't just wand around. the top of it and say it's clean. You've got to go page by page by page to see if there's any contamination in it.

Fagan tells me right off the bat that she fell asleep and went off the side of the road. I said, wait a minute, wait a minute, you don't understand. She was just on the highway for a few minutes.

Fagan tells me right off the bat that she fell asleep and went off the side of the road. I said, wait a minute, wait a minute, you don't understand. She was just on the highway for a few minutes.

And I'll never forget Fagan saying, look, In my mind, she fell asleep at the wheel of the car unless you can prove it differently. And that started in my mind the fact that, now wait a minute, the fix is in. Something is going on here. How could this guy just shut the door in my face? He's supposed to be an investigating officer.

And I'll never forget Fagan saying, look, In my mind, she fell asleep at the wheel of the car unless you can prove it differently. And that started in my mind the fact that, now wait a minute, the fix is in. Something is going on here. How could this guy just shut the door in my face? He's supposed to be an investigating officer.

And we ripped the box open and went through everything and there was nothing in there about quality control.

And we ripped the box open and went through everything and there was nothing in there about quality control.

Now, this car had hit this concrete wing wall going 40 to 45 miles an hour. Silkwood was impaled on the steering wheel. But yet, he says there's these two piles of paper sitting on the back seat. It defies the law of gravity.

Now, this car had hit this concrete wing wall going 40 to 45 miles an hour. Silkwood was impaled on the steering wheel. But yet, he says there's these two piles of paper sitting on the back seat. It defies the law of gravity.

This is a muddy craft site. There is this reddish Oklahoma mud on the left-hand driver's side of the car. You got these three guys sitting there, papers scattered all over the place. Not one piece of the papers that were given to us had any mud on them. No mud whatsoever on the stuff that was given to us.

This is a muddy craft site. There is this reddish Oklahoma mud on the left-hand driver's side of the car. You got these three guys sitting there, papers scattered all over the place. Not one piece of the papers that were given to us had any mud on them. No mud whatsoever on the stuff that was given to us.