Long way ahead for attendants at fuel stations

Vedant Chandel

“I desperately needed a job and it was only after weeks of scrambling that I found out about petrol stations that hire women, one of the few options that offered me a positive workspace and fair wages. And all of that, without demanding a lot of prior experience,” says Priyanka, who moved to the city from a small town in Himachal Pradesh in search of a job. Her quest ended at the Hindustan Petroleum station in Sector 118, Daun.

There are several other women like her who have found a rather fair and safe workplace in a profession that was, until recent years, dominated by men.

Amarjyot, who has been working at the Bharat Petroleum station in Sector 4 for about two years, was quick to highlight the fact that this is one of the very few jobs where the basic salary was same for both men and women. She says: “It is a big plus not to feel unappreciated in a workplace, especially when you have just joined. Fair wages went a long way in making me feel better about my work and job here at the station.”

When asked about the increasing number of women who have taken up jobs that have been reserved for men, Amarjyot said: “Despite the popular belief, things have begun to change for better. Ever since I joined here, 3-4 other female employees have come on board. The increasing number of women working here has not only helped in changing the perception, but has also helped in making the workplace safer and more inclusive.”

Priyanka, who was barely 18 years old when she moved to the city, seemed to agree. “One of the few things that worried me was my safety working during the odd hours. But it really helped me to know that there were a couple of women already working at the station and it instantly made me feel much safer,” she says.

Minimum experience and training required for working at a petrol station seem to be the major draw for women looking for jobs outside of the conventional spectrum. The fixed salary, which is almost always paid on time, is another incentive.

Priyanka recalls her early days at the station: “I did receive proper training at the beginning and almost everyone was very helpful and friendly, so it never felt like too much work.” She has, however, moved on to greener pastures since her time at the station a few years ago.

On being prodded about the reason that she quit her job, Priyanka did mention a few instances of harsh behaviour from the other officials at the station. “The male senior officers were a little harsh. They would criticise at the smallest of mistakes. That was unruly and disrespectful sometimes, but it was not like we had anyone that we could complain to. I decided to leave when these instances became more frequent.”

When asked if she thought that having a fellow woman as a superior officer or a female human resource officer would have helped her in the situation, Priyanka answered in affirmation. “Now that I work at a store in the nearby mall, I have a woman as a boss. It is easier to talk to her about my problems or grievances and it could have been different had I had the same option at the station.”

Notably, even at the Sector 4 station, women highlighted lack of women bosses or seniors in the business. As Amarjyot was speaking about fair wages, a colleague at the station, on the condition of anonymity, said the argument for fair wages ceases to exist after a point. Apparently, she was hinting towards a partisan treatment for male employees at the time of promotions, the employee refused to give a more concrete statement.

“It’s all pleasant and mellow as far as general work environment is concerned, but then, there are always issues that we face in a workplace that most of our male colleagues do not. Getting a raise or a promotion is a small part of it. For now, at least an increasing number of women have started to step into these workspaces that were more or less reserved for men,” the employee diverts. However, she said even small inklings to change are worth it.