Gas station attendants with poor work ethic. Time to repeal self pump ban (Green: how much, employment)

[TechmanOR]

Here, more often than not, when they're not busy, attendants sit around doing nothing. It's not uncommon to pull up to a gas station at 2AM and you find the attendant hanging out in his car with friends visiting.

You're the only customer at the time, he comes up starts the pump and does the absolutely minimum required and offer nothing as you wipe the window yourself.

It's not like I want them to pump for me, but if I have to have them pump, I think I have the right to expect good customer service.

If the station owner wants to provide full service and manager retains attendant with good customer training, they should have every right, however we have this poor work ethic issue, because State of Oregon decided motorist must not pump their own gas, just so station owners can lose $8.50/hr/head so some guy can sit around doing very little.

[kanhawk]

Didn't they try to repeal the ban a couple of years ago? Failed, but not by much.

[Bideshi]

Where's an illegal alien when you need one?

[Squidlo]

The public safety is a huge concern in Oregon (and New Jersey). The need for a skilled petroleum technician is warranted. I currently reside in Texas and have acquired this vital skill. Should there be any openings in this vital role in Oregon please contact me immediately......

Seriously folks its time for self serve. If you are gonna pay a guy to pump my fuel for me, check the fluids and clean the windshield. Please try not to look too disgusted that I pulled you away from that cigarette with my petty fuel needs.

[hamellr]

No, we have Gas Station attendants because the State of Oregon was dealing with a cripplingly high unemployment rate and was doing anything they could to solve it. And, voters have decided to keep this service multiple times over the years.

If you got bad service, then complain to the Gas Station manager or owner. Odds are he's already looking to replace that person anyways because of their poor work ethic but can't find someone reliable to work the night shift.

The other option is for them to fire this guy, and reduce the hours the station is open.

[Nell Plotts]

Indeed. Working at a gas station at night can be both boring and dangerous. Unless you want that job during those hours at their pay simply mention what you saw to the person on duty, otherwise fill out an employment application.

Would I vote to repeal the self bump ban on the basis of that experience? No!

[ccjarider]

This is a poor excuse for job creation.

Work needs to be based around creating wealth, not "make work for the sake of make work".

If a station owner sees offering an attendant as a service that could draw customers, then they could offer it and do a cost/benefit analysis. In this day and age though, most people do not value this service. Pumping gas is hardly a hardship.

Since I moved here, I have found this to be an annoyance. It is an inneficient process that wastes several minutes.

One observation to me:
Any movement to get rid of this silly requirement maybe would have success if they focused on energy waste and pollution. Run ads showing the long lines of idling cars at Fred Meyers and claim that this requirement is destroying "Mother Earth."

Of course it is a BS argument, but here in Oregon where hippies luv the "Green Movement", it might help gain traction to get rid of this stupid law.

[skypros]

Personally I don't like having the pump jockeys..... now with that said,
Allot of people do like having their gas pumped.
If Oregon got rid of the requirement of having the Attendants, The unemployment would skyrocket to 14 to 20%..... So it is highly unlikely that anytime soon this will go away.

These guys/gals usually get paid min. wage, and have to work in some bad weather.... and if they their shift is graveyard, that is even worse.

So lets see here.... If the attendant washed the windows and was polite would you tip them? Or do you say I am already paying for service, so I should not have to?

It is what it is, so I suggest just accept it as it really isn't that big of a deal.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

This is a poor excuse for job creation.

And yet it created 8,00 jobs in the matter of six months. Gas prices didn't go up drastically (in fact at all,) as was claimed by those against the law. Right now it's estimated that 7,600 people work as Pump Attendants across the state.

All repealing this law would do would increase the number of people on welfare, and the number of homeless on the streets.

BTW - the law was enacted in 1955 and has survived four separate ballot measure attempts to have it repealed.

If you don't like the law you have three choices, get a motorcycle, create your own company and go to the card-loc places, or have your own gas pump installed at your home.

[wanderbygrace]

If they eliminated these jobs, we'd probably see an increase in professional sign flippers on 82nd.

Back to the story, though, I wonder how much station profits would go up? Not only would you have the elimination of this group of employees by pushing the work to the customer, but you'd probably see far more customers shopping in the little stores, since they'd actually have to get out of their cars. It'd be interesting to see, once adjusted for local cost of living & traffic, how much two equal stations make in Oregon & another locale.