IF DINERS at public eating places start clearing their used crockery and trays, the cleaners' jobs would be on the line, right?
Wrong.
The National Environment Agency (NEA), foodcourt owners and cleaning agencies have come out to assure cleaners - some of whom are elderly - that they will not lose their sources of livelihoods.
The NEA, for example, says hawker centres will always require cleaners, so they will be redeployed to wherever they are needed, if necessary.
Ms Lina Teo, an advertising and promotions manager for foodcourt chain Food Junction, adds that, in any case, clearing trays is 'just a small part' of a cleaner's overall job scope. They also have to wipe down the tables and sort out the dishes before they go to the dishwashers, she says.
The sentiment about turfing the cleaners out of their jobs, however, runs deep among diners - and even some cleaners.
It may well be an excuse not to clean up after themselves, but the national habit is leaving tables in a mess; it is also breeding an army of cleaners who descend on patrons almost as soon as they take that last slurp of soup.
Retiree Madam Christine Tan, 60, says: 'The cleaners are very fast and efficient when they clear the tables. If everyone does his own, then they will soon be without jobs.'
Madam Koh Lee Eng, 63, who started her cleaning job at Hougang Mall's Kopitiam eight months ago, says of The Straits Times' 'Goodness Gracious Me!' campaign to get people to bus their own trays: 'Yes, I'm worried! No job, no money!'
An assurance for people like her also comes from Mr Alden Tan, the managing director of The Kopitiam Group.
He says having customers return their dirty trays to collection stations 'will save the cleaners some time on the floor'.
'Cleaners will still need to wipe the tables clean, and those located at tray returning stations will still need to push the trolley to the back of the house more frequently to keep up with the pace in the dining hall,' he says.
Kopi@Terminal3 cleaner Yong Nyook Yin, 68, knows what he is talking about. She is among those who realise the amount of work to be done, even if customers clean up after themselves.
Cleaners still need to empty leftovers from the crockery and sort them ahead of washing, for example.
Mr Tan is certain the drive will make cleaners more efficient and enable patrons to settle down more quickly to cleared tables, but there is still scepticism about whether habits will change.
Mr Koh Chin Wee, 49, who leads the cleaning crew at the Bukit Panjang Kopitiam, says there will always be people who will not return their trays - those with many small children, for example.
Since the launch of the drive last Saturday, cleaners at the five Kopitiam outlets have noticed improvements - small ones. Kopitiam in Plaza Singapura has had a 10 per cent increase in customers returning trays to collection stations.
At the airport's Terminal 3, four in 10 customers are clearing their own tables, but most are still leaving a mess.
Airport executive Tee Lian, 35, says she wants to return her used tray, but she finds no signs pointing to collection stations.
'At least at McDonald's, you know where to return the trays. Perhaps, there should be large arrows at foodcourts pointing us to them,' she suggests.
Really chia lat. Cleaners job also at stake.
Wrong.
The National Environment Agency (NEA), foodcourt owners and cleaning agencies have come out to assure cleaners - some of whom are elderly - that they will not lose their sources of livelihoods.
The NEA, for example, says hawker centres will always require cleaners, so they will be redeployed to wherever they are needed, if necessary.
Ms Lina Teo, an advertising and promotions manager for foodcourt chain Food Junction, adds that, in any case, clearing trays is 'just a small part' of a cleaner's overall job scope. They also have to wipe down the tables and sort out the dishes before they go to the dishwashers, she says.
The sentiment about turfing the cleaners out of their jobs, however, runs deep among diners - and even some cleaners.
It may well be an excuse not to clean up after themselves, but the national habit is leaving tables in a mess; it is also breeding an army of cleaners who descend on patrons almost as soon as they take that last slurp of soup.
Retiree Madam Christine Tan, 60, says: 'The cleaners are very fast and efficient when they clear the tables. If everyone does his own, then they will soon be without jobs.'
Madam Koh Lee Eng, 63, who started her cleaning job at Hougang Mall's Kopitiam eight months ago, says of The Straits Times' 'Goodness Gracious Me!' campaign to get people to bus their own trays: 'Yes, I'm worried! No job, no money!'
An assurance for people like her also comes from Mr Alden Tan, the managing director of The Kopitiam Group.
He says having customers return their dirty trays to collection stations 'will save the cleaners some time on the floor'.
'Cleaners will still need to wipe the tables clean, and those located at tray returning stations will still need to push the trolley to the back of the house more frequently to keep up with the pace in the dining hall,' he says.
Kopi@Terminal3 cleaner Yong Nyook Yin, 68, knows what he is talking about. She is among those who realise the amount of work to be done, even if customers clean up after themselves.
Cleaners still need to empty leftovers from the crockery and sort them ahead of washing, for example.
Mr Tan is certain the drive will make cleaners more efficient and enable patrons to settle down more quickly to cleared tables, but there is still scepticism about whether habits will change.
Mr Koh Chin Wee, 49, who leads the cleaning crew at the Bukit Panjang Kopitiam, says there will always be people who will not return their trays - those with many small children, for example.
Since the launch of the drive last Saturday, cleaners at the five Kopitiam outlets have noticed improvements - small ones. Kopitiam in Plaza Singapura has had a 10 per cent increase in customers returning trays to collection stations.
At the airport's Terminal 3, four in 10 customers are clearing their own tables, but most are still leaving a mess.
Airport executive Tee Lian, 35, says she wants to return her used tray, but she finds no signs pointing to collection stations.
'At least at McDonald's, you know where to return the trays. Perhaps, there should be large arrows at foodcourts pointing us to them,' she suggests.
Really chia lat. Cleaners job also at stake.
