Cheongster talks about hardship...do you believe?

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A Day in the Life of a Cleaner - Cheowster

A Day in the Life of a Cleaner

We've seen cleaners smiling as they ask if they could clear our dirty plates and dishes at the hawker centres. We've seen cleaners stacking up cardboard boxes and clearing trash bags without a word of complaint. We've also seen cleaners sweeping our HDB flats and walking alleys clean from dawn to dusk.

But let me throw you just one question.

How many of us actually stop to say hello?

Recently, I had this opportunity to chat with a really friendly HDB estate cleaner and got to know stuff that I never even gave much thought about. This is his story.

Meet Mr. Anbalakan.


The 53-year-old Mr. Anbalakan is married with no children. He stopped schooling at Primary 3 and began taking up odd jobs such as a packing worker and machine operator. His wife is a factory worker and the couple tries to lead a happy but simple life together.

For every single day from Monday to Saturday, Mr. Anbalakan will show up diligently below his designated HDB blocks to keep the neighbourhood clean. It usually takes him one entire day to comb through and clean one block. But on rainy days, his work becomes more challenging, and he may take two days just to clean one block of flats.

Imagine how tough it is to have 12 blocks under his care, occasionally getting bullied by youngsters hogging up HDB areas and taunting him at times. This is Mr. Anbalakan’s work life, day in, day out.



He had started on this job some six years ago. Back in the old days when things were not as technologically advanced, he was required to use a tiny old, grey scrubber to clean up the many blocks. An extra step is needed for his colleague to mop the floor even after he finished scrubbing! It's extremely time-consuming and really takes a toll on the cleaners for eight whole hours everyday...

It was almost heartbreaking when I was listening to him talking wistfully but hopefully of a lifelong wish…

Being able to simply travel, to go on a trip with his wife of 15 years as an anniversary treat for her is his dream.

Sounds like such a simple wish and an easy dream to you?
Maybe… But no, it’s not so easy for Mr. Anbalakan.

Kids nowadays are having the time of their lives taking their everyday expenses and traveling opportunities for granted, and hosting birthday parties that amount to above thousands of dollars.

And him? He only wishes to travel just this ONCE, for his wife.

Many cleaners like him were previously stuck with low paying jobs and outdated equipment. Why weren't cleaning companies helping their cleaners upgrade their skills, productivity and giving them a career instead of just a job?

NTUC’s Zainal Sapari, whose father was also a cleaner, explained how cheap sourcing (where we choose the cheapest quote and companies undercut each other to win the contract) has been depressing cleaners’ wages.



NTUC Chief Lim Swee Say has also said, “We should no longer look at cleaners as cheap labour... Cleaners also have their career aspirations."

Instead of advocating for a minimum wage that would only push wages higher but not give cleaners a better career and skills, NTUC got the government to legislate a Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for cleaners.




So what does it mean for Mr. Anbalakan?

When he first started his job six years ago, he was earning $900. Due to his diligence, his pay grew to $1,200 three years later. The company saw his positive attitude and willingness to learn, so they trained him to handle more sophisticated cleaning machines.

Under NTUC’s Progressive Wage Model, he is now earning $1,700 because he has mastered more skills such as operating the 3-in-1 Karcher cleaning machine and his productivity has improved.

And guess what? He’s even been handpicked to be trained as a supervisor!



Now, Mr. Anbalakan gets to use a new 3-in-1 Karcher Machine after some technology advances. Because of his good performance and positive attitude, he has been trained to use new machines and equipment.

When asked if he was worried about losing his job to driverless machines, he exclaimed that his perception was "to master the machine, not fear the machine!"

Productivity

Using the 3-in-1machine allows the release of water, scrubbing of floors and vacuuming, all in one!! Now it's much easier for him to access the cleanliness of his neighbourhood and doesn't require the extra help from his colleague anymore. He can finish the job alone while his colleague has been trained to use another 3-in-1 Karcher machine to clean another block.

Their productivity has doubled: the 2 cleaners can clean 2 blocks per day, instead of 1 block per day. He loves how efficient the new Karcher Machine is!

Wages

The best part? Yes! Mr. Anbalakan has seen his pay grow from $900 to the current $1,700 in six years. That’s 88% increase in six years, pretty impressive! It warms my heart knowing how people are starting to better appreciate a cleaners' efforts with a bigger sum of reward. :')

Career Progression

Mr. Anbalakan is now well on his way to becoming a supervisor, and I hope he gets there soon! Think about how much time, hard work, effort, labour and learning they've gone through to reach the position they are in now.

He really is the perfect example set for other workers in the cleaning industry to learn from.

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