Kevin Castle, first woman crane operator in the Port of Seattle
In 1980, the Seattle waterfront was forever changed with the registration of twelve women into Local 19. They were the first ever recorded women to work in longshore in the 100- year history of the industry in Seattle, which to that point had been exclusively male. As a longshore woman myself, I wish to pay respects and to hear the stories of the women who endured the most and paved the way for future generations to follow in their boot/footsteps.
For that reason, I started the Women on the Waterfront Oral History Project to hear the stories of the first women on the waterfront and to document and record their history- which is all of our history.
Among those first women was Kevin Castle. Though slight in stature, Castle was a mighty force who went on to become the first woman crane operator in the Port of Seattle. In a gritty world, she faced discrimination and harassment with grace, poise, and determination.
Castle was no stranger to controversy, persecution, and progressive values. Her father, Del Castle, was secretary of Seattle’s Ship Scalers, Dry Dock, and Miscellaneous Boat Yard Workers Union, Local 541. He was a union organizer, labor and social activist, and a suspected Communist. As a result, Kevin was born in hiding and spent her first years living underground with her family., They had to adopt fake names due to hounding by the FBI. Blacklisted her father had to cut lawns to support his family. Later, he was able to become a longshoreman and join Local 19, the only union at the time accepting of suspected “Reds.” Growing up, Kevin attended schools with predominately Black students for grades K-12.
After high school, Kevin was heavily before attending the University of
Washington, where she graduated with a degree in History.
From there, Kevin followed in the steps of her father into longshoring. Though always polite and hardworking, her mere existence as a woman on the waterfront led to “trouble” in the form of hostility from male fellow workers. She showed up
day after day, choosing the hard jobs and persevering despite harassment
and discrimination she faced on a daily basis. She also fought to be
involved with union politics. When doors were slammed in her face, she accepted the fate -knowing that what she was doing was much bigger than her individually. Castle was careful never to give the men any more ammunition to use against her or the other women. She forewent her own personal achievements in order to pave the way for future generations of women. Castle’s perseverance not only made it possible for women to have careers on the waterfront, she also gave them a bigger voice and presence so that women of the future could have a role in union leadership.
Despite the tough times, some stood with her. Kevin credits a number of her male coworkers for supporting her and providing safety throughout her career. Local 19
pensioner Bill Proctor testifies to Kevin’s achievements: “Kevin Castle is a woman with a terrible sense of mission once she sets her mind on something! Her determination not to be driven away from a job that provided a decent living and good benefits as well, by lecherous, rude, and boring misogynistic men of the Seattle ILWU Waterfront says a lot about Kevin’s mettle and character! I have nothing but the utmost respect and love for this particular sister of the Seattle docks!”
Kevin said writing has helped her process some of the hardships she faced in life and on the docks. In her forthcoming memoir, Skyscraper: One Woman’s Improbable Rise to the Pinnacle of a Crane, soon to be published, she writes: “One of the most gratifying things that I have experienced since retiring from the docks is meeting some of the women who are now working on the waterfront. If I can take even small credit for paving the way for these determined and enlightened young women currently forging their careers in the industry, I am incredibly proud. In addition to working every day in a tough, male-dominated workplace, many are
engaged in the politics of Local 19, fighting to make the ILWU as a whole stronger, more progressive, and modern. As someone who tried doggedly to play a role in Local 19 politics and faced determined resistance and discrimination, it is
inspiring to see the mantle taken up by these smart, hardworking, brave women. I am the generation before them. But together with them I have walked on a road that spans time, as one generation extends a hand to lift the other.”
Today, more women are in elected positions at Local 19 than ever before. For that, I thank the sisters who came before us and the sacrifices that they made. Because of the hardships and discrimination that Kevin and all of the first women endured throughout their careers, women (like me) can have a more manageable and acceptable longshore experience
Kevin’s interview was made possible by the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies and the Labor Archives of Washington at the University of Washington. My effort to interview the women of the waterfront continues the work of others before me, such as Professor Harvey Schwartz, Head of the Labor Archives, Conor Casey, and others. Recording these interviews and gathering our history is important. In
an industry that famously does not keep many written records, being able to document individuals’ stories as part of a larger project is crucial to understanding where we come from, what got us all we have, who helped to get us here, and (most importantly) why.
One of my favorite traditions about the waterfront is the stories told by those who came before. Being able to meet and speak with Kevin tops my list. She faced horrific treatment shift after shift. She did so with a resistance filled with much candor, grit, class, and perseverance. In doing so, she was able to set her future sisters up for a better existence on the Seattle Waterfront. Her determination and eagerness to help future generations is exemplary.
– Alison Steichen