Oregon Labor Union Moves to Reinstate Ban on Self-Serve Gas With Ballot Measure

A labor union in Oregon, UFCW Local 555, is aiming to reinstate a ban on self-service gas stations just months after lawmakers voted to legalize them.

The group, which represents the grocery, retail, manufacturing and health care industries, says that the policy allowing self-service at gas stations has come at a cost to workers and provided no benefit to its customers.

“It doesn’t do anything good for Oregonians unless you’re a gas station owner or have a stake in a large oil company,” UFCW Local 555 Political Director Mike Selvaggio told The Oregonian. “It makes gas stations more dangerous and less accessible to people with accessibility issues.”

Since Oregon legalized self-service gas in August, New Jersey is now the only state where it is illegal for customers to pump their own gas.

The new policy where customers can legally pump their gas was passed with bipartisan support and still requires half of the pumps in the state to serve drivers who don't want to or can't pump their gas.

Fuel companies indicated that they wouldn't conduct layoffs following the new law because many stations were already understaffed.

However, Selvaggio argues that this is not the case and employees have either been moved to work inside the stores or positions have been eliminated.

A new ballot measure would ban all self-service gas stations from Oregon, but would allow some noncommercial customers like firefighters or other public service members to pump their own gas.