Netizens were shocked to learn that cleaners at food courts or hawker centres were only paid about $1500 a month from a poster that looked to hire.
While it was unclear which food court or hawker centre was hiring, the job advertisement was for dishwashing and dish-collection staff. The poster advertised ‘Hire with high salary’.
The job was for a 6-day work week, for an 8-hour shift. Cleaners were to work two shifts – 7 am to 3 pm or 3 pm to 11 pm. The poster advertised “Generous benefits” such as a bonus, sick leave, CPF contributions, annual leave and insurance and medical benefits.
The poster itself had four images of elderly people washing dishes, cleaning tables and returning plates. Netizens were quick to point out this fact and said: “And the photos used are elderly only. Are they targeting this group more? So I guess it’s their favorite exercise like they claim it is?”
The netizen made reference to then-Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin who posted on his Facebook page in 2015 about elderly cardboard collectors in the Jalan Besar area. He said: “The normal perception that all cardboard collectors are people who are unable to take care of themselves financially is not really true. There will be some who do this as their main source of income. Some do so to supplement what they have. Some prefer to earn extra monies, treat it as a form of exercise and activity rather than being cooped up at home. They do this to remain independent, so that they can have dignity and not have to ask their families for help.”
Other netizens also asked what happened to the $3,500 dishwashing job previously offered. Earlier this year, some Food & Beverage establishments took to offering $3500 for a dishwasher job. In one Japanese restaurant on Orchard Road, the co-owner herself had to wash dishes while they waited for a dishwasher.
A May 25 report in Shin Min Daily News said that there have been very few people interested in the position, despite a salary that rivals some university graduates. However, weighing in on the matter, netizens say that given the long hours and backbreaking work dishwashers do, they are unsurprised that there are very few who are interested in the position.
Here’s what other netizens said:
