Homework Help: Social Studies: People: Karen Silkwood: The Plutonium Legacy

Providing the nation with a source of energy has always brought up conflicting ideas. Can certain sources of energy last long enough? Can they power entire nations? One form of energy, nuclear power is a "fairly new alternative to fossil fuels" and can be used to fuel large areas when properly harnessed. No energy source is perfect. One concern with this form of energy is the danger it posses. Nuclear power can cause cancers of the lungs, bones, liver and testes. It can also cause problems such as leukemia, deformed embryos, down syndrome, genetic defect, and heart disease. This leaves the public in need of an answer. Should nuclear power be used as an alternate fuel source? Some signs point out that our global resources are depleting and that a new form of energy is essential. Other signs point in the direction that nuclear power will be harmful the planet. It leads to a major issue. Is nuclear power worth the risk? If nuclear power can be properly used, what could stop the country from utilizing this great new fuel? One woman, Karen Silkwood, interfered with the nuclear industry and made people across the nation second guess the use of nuclear power. Nuclear power was an indirect cause of her death (McCarthy).

Karen Silkwood was far from perfect. She was a flawed working class female living in Crescent, Oklahoma at the time of her death. Crescent was unique because one industry, the nuclear industry, dominated the area. Almost all of the civilians in the area worked for the plant. Karen was not born in Oklahoma, but moved from Longview, Texas for the opportunity to start a career in science. Her life was simple and she worked to support herself. In any sense, Karen had strong beliefs and felt obligated to stick up for what she felt was right. Experiencing some of the dangers and atrocities at the plant caused her to join the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers' Union and become a union spy against the plant. "The union felt they did what was right, but not necessarily a moral imperative." The focus of her case is that she was sent to gather information about the plant and use it to formulate a report. She would take this report and give it to a reporter from the New York Times so to expose the information to the public and possibly get the plant shut down. Unfortunately, on her way to meet the reporter, her car swerved from the road and she died (Burchard). This incident is clouded with mystery and intrigue. While multiple opinions on how her death occurred have spread, one perspective on the accident seems to be the most logical. Karen Gay Silkwood exposed herself to plutonium and overdosed on sleeping medication in order to frame the Kerr-McGee power plant and let their negligence be known. She was determined to show her devotion to the union and would do anything to send the Kerr-McGee corporation to its knees. Evidence from her life and the case make this reasoning logical.

Karen's life in Longview was not unusual, but it was successful. She was born into a Baptist family and spent much of her time babysitting at the First Baptist Church Nursery. Karen also enjoyed playing flute, volleyball, and tennis. While she did not go on as many dates as her sisters, Rose Mary and Linda, she still had a stable social life. Ever since she was a young girl, according to her sisters, she was "as tenacious as an abalone on a rock" and she would not ignore anything that was wrong in the society. Her academic career was exceptional; she earned straight A's and was a member of her school's National Honor Society. She was also the only girl in her chemistry class. Karen had some of the best marks in her class and her teachers thought she could have a very successful in a career in science (Rashke 4-7). Silkwood's natural intelligence and firm structure would make it apparent that she would go to extremes for something she believes in. Because she has always been used to success, she would not hesitate to do something to help her foster it. According to Diana J. Kleiner, Silkwood's parents, William and Merle were a great influence on her. Ever since her birth in 1946, they encouraged her to go to a medical school. They helped give her the drive she needed to fight for what was thought to her a moral purpose. In Richard Rashke's novel, he tells of Karen eloping with Bill Meadows in 1964. They had three children together, but their marriage was doomed due to Bill's obsession with motor bikes. This obsession led to the family becoming bankrupt. Karen continued to love her kids. She persevered and, after leaving Bill, moved into her friend's house. Her friend, Janet White stood by her side even when Karen was accused of abandoning the children. Janet gave Karen more moral support to fight for what she believed in. Karen did everything in her power to win custody, although she failed.

In August of 1972, she moved in with her friend Ellis. She began to test plutonium pellets, like the ones first used to make atomic bombs in Nagasaki, at the Kerr-McGee power plant in Crescent, Oklahoma. She thought this would be an excellent place to start the career in science that she sought after (7-9). The conditions in this power plant were atrocious. As shown in the Silkwood film, the plant's alarms would go off; but the workers would be told not to evacuate as it decreases production. It also gave information in regards to an incident where Karen requested some time off to see her children. They did not allow her this time; and she was infuriated to the point where they knew she would do anything to make them look foolish. This is evidence that she would expose herself to plutonium and try to get in an accident behind the wheel. In fact later during the day, when the plant shut down, they falsely tried to hold Karen accountable due to her desire for time off. During this time, she also met Drew Stephens. Drew Stephens worked in the General Chemical Lab at the plant, across from Karen, who worked in the Metallography Lab. Drew immediately caught the attention of Karen. His blond beard, straight hair, mustache, and intense eyes made her fall for him. She would spend most of the remainder of her life devoted to Drew. Being that Drew worked in the plant, she would go to drastic measures to help keep him protected from harm (Rashke 10-13). The plant allowed for workers to smoke at their stations so to avoid them taking smoking breaks. This habit could prove fatal in a nuclear plant. Photos of fuel rods were often edited. This meant that fuel rods to fuel the nation could blow up easily and kill many. Karen did not quite understand the severity of these faulty photos, but she knew that something must be changed. The plant would not allow employees to give blood donations either. This would mean they were keeping information in regards to cancer from the employees. One peculiar concern Karen had of the plant was that they buried a truck that was contaminated with plutonium in a hazardous manner that would allow exposure to the community (Silkwood film).

As noted previously, the circumstances in the plant led Karen to desire action. She soon became the first female on the bargaining committee for the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union. She did not campaign for this spot, but she gladly accepted her nomination. Her being the first female would make her want to show her worth and make a lasting impact against the plant. Her prime goal was health and safety at the plant. One of her first discoveries while spying for the union was the diversion of plutonium from the plant. At one point, 44 lbs. of plutonium were unaccounted for in the plant. This is very negligent of the plant, solely because it was suspected that the plutonium was being sold on the black market. She later turned in reports to the union of leaking glove boxes, faulty ventilation shafts, and employee horseplay (Clarfield 382). "In the laboratory, we've got eighteen and nineteen year old boys..., And they didn't have schooling , so they don't understand what radiation is. They don't understand." This was quoted from a manager at the plant in Rashke's novel. Being that a manager would admit this leads one to become certain that the plant was negligent in their actions. Karen's documents meant exposing the unexplained radiation at the plant and either resulting in the closure of the Kerr-McGee Crescent plant or a more strict watch from the Atomic Energy Commission (Kleiner). This was Karen's primary goal. As mentioned previously, she would do anything for what she believed in. She believed in the union and the fight for worker's safety. One can not help but speculate that she would possibly commit a form of suicide to reach her goal.

Another piece of evidence in Karen's life that supports the fact that she could have planned her death is the use of pills prescribed by her doctor. There was a point in her relationship with Drew where they got in a magnitude of fights. In September of 1973, she called her friend, Connie Edwards and informed him that the fights with Drew may cause her to overdose on over the counter drugs. She also was said to have called her children with speeches of "ignorance is bliss", so as to keep them prepared for the future. She always concerned herself with the young generation. Knowing this, it can be concluded that she would not have had fear of exposing herself to chemicals and overdosing on sleeping medication. By spring the next year, her and Drew were patched up, but a new depression got to her. It was a mix of her asthma and hay fever; along with the plant imposing twelve hour a work days for seven days a week. Director of employees for Kerr-McGee, William J. Shelley felt this was necessary and done in a sound judgment for the company. This forced Karen to see her doctor, Dr. Shields. He prescribed for her, Quaadludes (Methaqualone), an addictive pill for her depression. It was used to put her to sleep or to sedate her. At the beginning of her use of the pills, she met with Evelyn Emrich at the Hub Café. Evelyn described her to look "dead-pale" and to "have slow, slurred speech" (Rashke 13-18). She therefore could have easy access to this medication for future use, as in the case with the automobile accident. Karen could easily pull her resources and overdose on the pills. This would make it easier for her to premeditate an accident and make the plant look bad.

The plant at this time was busy replacing glove boxes and decontaminating workspaces to cover up prior exposures, like that of Karen's close friend, Wanda Jean Jung. Jean got brain cancer from the radiation and was forced to wear a wig. At the time of her contamination, Wanda was "as shaky as a leaf", but the plant would not let Karen in to comfort her (McCarthy). Chairman of the union, Jack Tice, was "a mild mannered professional at union activism" who was worried about the worsening conditions at the plant. Respirators that were used to filter plutonium in the workplace were working poorly. More and more untrained workers were being hired for cheaper labor and because it was the only industry that offered everyone work. Kerr-McGee was out to decertify workers from joining the union . This made Karen even more anxious to humiliate the company (Rashke 18-19). Karen's first major sign of contamination proved to be handled in a quite unprofessional manner by the medical workers at Kerr-McGee. The plant had small radiation detectors for employees to scan themselves upon leaving rooms with radio activity. Upon leaving her station one day, the alarm went off to alert Karen's contamination. Two medical men ran her to the medical station where she was scrubbed to the point of redness and bleeding. There were only two showers for the seventy-five workers on the night shift. The showers were dirty and not suitable for use. She was then given a nasal smear. On several occasions, the plant told the employee they were much less contaminated then they really were. Other times, they avoided the nasal smear all together. Karen was persistent in getting the truth. She did not believe when they told her she only had minor external contamination. Finally she got the truth out of them. She was internally contaminated and at great risk (Silkwood film).

The Price-Anderson Act required the Kerr-McGee corporation to hold liability for workers. In a court setting, Kerr-McGee would be forced to compensate Silkwood for the contamination (www.wku.edu). The Silkwood movie showed that the heads of Kerr-

McGee tried to get Karen to sign forms to rid them of liability. They would pay for the items in the house that were taken when her house needed to be evacuated for investigation purposes. She was devastated to the point where she would not kiss Drew in fear of spreading the contamination. Karen wanted no more then justice. The investigation was quite thorough. Drew and Ellis, were detected to have some moderate levels of contamination, this could prove that Karen brought plutonium home with her to use. The highest level of contamination in her home was in the bathroom. This would be true because she took a urine sample from the plant home with her to be later analyzed. It is believed that she spiked her own urine with plutonium that she stole from the plant, so when the urine spilled on the floor and the radiation was detected, the plant would be to blame. Some high traces also appeared in the kitchen. This is evident because she was making a sandwich, set it down on the bathroom toilet seat, and returned it to the kitchen when she decided she would eat it later instead. While the plant and lab were detected low levels of radiation, her home came up with high levels. This would give reason to believe contamination was done in her own home, so her autopsy would show that she had high levels of plutonium contact, and the plant would be held responsible (Nuclear Reaction).When monitored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission over a three day period, high levels of contamination existed in her left hand, right wrist, upper arms, neck, hair, and nostrils. They did what they could to decontaminate her. Four urine samples and one fecal sample were taken. They found that her bedroom also had high traces of chemicals. The areas on the outside of her home were not so high. If she indeed did contaminate herself, traces would be higher in areas where she spent a good deal of her time (Linder).

This contamination occurred and made Silkwood anxious to deliver the report that she kept in her little, blue spiral notebook. Her trip east to Washington, D.C. got her the chance to meet with union heads and set up an appointment to deliver the report that she was anxious to release. This could be her chance for revenge at the Kerr-McGee company who wanted her to "know very little". She could pay them back for every time she had to see the "Plutonium is safe" sign and for every time an employee was left deprived of cancer and plutonium literature. Most of all, she did not want them to ruin the homes and life's of others like they did hers. Plutonium was not merely "like sunburn". It was a dangerous substance that should not be used in hazardous manners. This report could mean new safety compliances. It could regulate the use of masks. It could do so much to alter the nuclear industry (Rashke 19-22). But what if it did not? This could lead to her wanting to ensure success. She would take sleeping pills behind the wheel and re-expose herself to more plutonium. That way she could become a legacy and the Kerr-McGee company would shatter. Also, if this occurred her family would benefit greatly.

On November 13, 1974, she left to deliver the documents to a reporter from the New York Times at the Northwest Holiday Inn. On her way, her car swerved off of the road and she died. Her report was never delivered. No one knows for sure the contents of the report, but it is speculated that some of the thirty-nine allegations the union formulated against the plant could be found in the report. Some of these allegations are as follows:

"Regular production is conducted in contaminated areas using the same respirators for twelve hours a day for up to ten days straight without cleanup."

"When the continuous air monitor alarms, the only action is to press the reset button..."

"Individuals decide when masks need cleaning."

"It is believed that filter cartridges are reused."

"Plutonium samples are stored in desk drawers . Some were stored on shelves for a period of two years" (quoted from the allegations by Burchard).

Regardless of what was in the report, Silkwood made her point clear. Changes in the nuclear industry needed to be made. Silkwood proved her point in the industry by purposely causing an accident to frame Kerr-McGee.

But this is not the end of the mystery. The investigation continued. At the scene, Silkwood was pronounced dead from a "classic, one-car sleeping-driver accident". No glass or debris was found, ruling out a hit-and-run theory. The steering wheel was bent in a manner that showed Karen was prepared for the shock of the accident. The only way she would know to prepare is if she knew she was going to have the accident. Two times the amount of Metahqualone recommended to cause drowsiness was detected. This alone makes it obvious that she overdosed on sleeping medication. Silkwood's organs were analyzed as part of the Los Alamos Tissue Analysis Program by request of the Atomic Energy Commission and the State Medical Examiner. Much of the radiation was in her lungs. This alludes to ingesting the plutonium. It is possible that the degree of radiation she was exposed was so severe that it would have prevented her from having more children if the event over occurred. When her tissues were further examined, the second highest deposits were found in her gastrointestinal organs, also displaying that she exposed herself to the plutonium (Nuclear Reaction). She was also said to have been intoxicated with alcohol at the time of the crash. Two marijuana cigarettes and the Quaaludes were found in her pocket. It is established that she would not fear exposing herself to substances to have her way (Rashke 4). Her "extreme emotional condition" mixed with the alcohol and drugs all point to the fact that Silkwood fell asleep at the wheel (Rashke 86) and her desire to get back at Kerr-McGee point to the fact that she imposed death upon herself.

Karen's father, Bill, ruled against the allegation of the Kerr-McGee Company that stated that Karen stole the plutonium. There was an excessive amount of money in this for the family if they won the case. In court, a predicament occurred. How should they handle punitive and compensatory damages? Nothing like this case had occurred in the past. This was one of the most significant cases of worker safety in the nation's history. The National Radiation Commission did not believe in punishing Kerr-McGee, but is that what Karen wanted? If Kerr-McGee plant were given punitive charges, the nuclear economy would be thrown off (Linder). Karen would have been pleased to ruin their plant in exchange for all the troubles they put her through. The jury did not seem to have enough knowledge in worker safety, especially since the document was not available. This could have led to oversights in the trial to work in Karen's family's advantage (www.wku.edu).The large sum of 10.5 million dollars was awarded to the Silkwood family in 1979. The loss of property was also paid for. Judge, Frank Theis, felt that the only way to make up for the harm done to the emotions of the family was large sums of money. Silkwood was martyred and her solitude override the multi-billion dollar company. Kerr-McGee closed as another result. Karen had achieved her goal (Collins 202-205). This result would make the possibility of her committing suicide very logical.

This incident earned extreme "media scrutiny". It actually got to the point where cases were held to determine if the Silkwood estate would want personal information released due to emotional and religious reasons. There was never an established code to decide which was more important- public interest or privacy rights (Breznay). This had a more lasting impact on the nuclear industry than even the delivery of the report would have. A quote from Robert Luke, a manager of Kerr-McGee corporate planning, describes the impact of her deeds: "Karen Silkwood is to the nuclear industry what the movie ‘Jaws' has been to beaches." This denotes that Karen ruined the nuclear industry at the time and effected it for years to come (Clarfield 383-384).

Karen Silkwood had achieved her goal. She became a hero in the field of health and safety. Her strong beliefs and values would have lead her to do anything for a cause. She did just that for the nuclear industry and can be remembered greatly for her bold, yet mysterious ways. So the questions remains unanswered. Is the death of Silkwood enough to support or demote the use of nuclear energy?

Works Cited

Breznay, George B. "Case No. VFA-0036 DOE 80,111: Decision and Order of the Dept. of Energy." 22 May 1995. US Department of Energy :Office of Hearings and Appeals. 28 November 2004. http://www.oha.doe.gov/cases/foia/vfa0036.htm.

Burchard, Amy. "Issue Essay and Historical Context." Silkwood. 2003. Lehigh University. 7 December 2004. http://www.lehigh.edu/~ineng/albb/albb-issue.htm.

Clarfield, Gerard H. and William M. Wiecek. Nuclear America: Military and Civilian Nuclear Power in the United States, 1940-1980. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1984.

Collins, Carol C. Nuclear Energy: Salvation or Suicide? New York: Facts on File Inc., 1984.

"The Karen Silkwood Story." Nuclear Reaction. 23 November 1995. PBS and WGBH with Los Alamos National Laboratory. 11 November 2004. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reaction/interact/Silkwood.htm.

Kleiner, Diana J. "Silkwood, Karen Gay". The Handbook of Texas Online. 4 December 2002. The Texas State Historical Association. 11 November 2004. http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/views/SS/fsi35.htm.

Linder, Doug. "U.S. Supreme Court: Silkwood v. Kerr-McGee Corp." Exploring Constitutional Law. 2004. University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School. 7 December 2004. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/silkwood.html.

McCarthy, Jenny and Anna Palcic. "Case Study #1: Karen Silkwood". The Hazards of Nuclear Power. 7 December 2004. http://classes.Colgate.edu/dkeller/geol101/sums/nuke.htm.

Rashke, Richard. The Killing of Karen Silkwood. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981.

Silkwood. Dir. Mike Nichols. Perf. Meryl Streep, Kurt Russel and Cher. MGM DVD and ABC Motion Pictures, 1983.

"Silkwood v. Kerr-McGee Corporation: 464 U.S. 238." 1984. 11 November 2004. http://www.wku.edu/Government/ysilkwd.htm.

Homework Help: Social Studies: People

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