The Strike That Automated Passenger Lifts

Over the centuries-long existence of the modern passenger lift, there have been many advances, evolutions and developments that have come as a result of ingenuity, technological advances and in the wake of unfortunate tragedy.

One of the most unusual causes for lift development, however, came in 1945 when lifts were developed with features that seemed as unthinkable as flying an aircraft without a pilot.

Once lifts became a common part of increasingly tall buildings, people were needed to operate what were at the time somewhat complex machines that could be potentially dangerous in the wrong hands.

This led to the rise of the lift attendant, who would not only operate the machinery but provide a friendly demeanour, clearly articulate the floor they were on and information about the businesses held on it, along with taking requests.

It was a largely thankless job, with attendants working long hours (84-hour weeks were not uncommon) for low pay, no meals, no protection under employment laws of the era and at the risk of exploitation.

Infamously, female lift attendants had to attend “charm school” for up to eight weeks in some stores, dye their hair and wear mandated makeup, cosmetics and uniforms.

The working conditions led to countless strikes from the 1920s until the 1940s to petition for better working conditions. Several people who tried to operate the lifts themselves died in accidents as a result.

Whilst it would take quite some time, unions such as Local 32-B eventually won limits to the number of hours they had to work in a week as well as union recognition.

However, after a strike in 1945 that involved 15,000 lift attendants in New York City alone, lift manufacturers started to work on solutions that would allow lifts to run on their own, with safety features such as an emergency stop button, telephone and automated voice aiding the transition.

This effectively ended the wave of lift strikes largely by eliminating the need for lift operators completely, although there are still some found in theme parks and more prestigious department stores primarily focusing on marketing, making announcements and working as customer greeters.