SINGAPORE — As the online furore continues over the terms imposed on hawkers by operator NTUC Foodfare, owners of the two stalls at Old Airport Road Food Centre who have to observe minimum operating hours said that they have no issues with the arrangement.

They also told TODAY that they fully understood and accepted the requirements when signing their tenancy contracts.

Other hawkers said that while they are held to similar requirements, such as notifying the managing agent if they intend to close their stalls beyond their declared rest days, the operator does not strictly enforce them.

One of the two stallholders, who wanted to be known only as Mr Ong, said on Thursday (Oct 25) that he had read the contract before signing it. NTUC Foodfare representatives had also explained the terms to him, and he found them “still acceptable”.

“I could understand the contract, but for older hawkers, I think they need a certain level of English,” said the 34-year-old owner of Shun Yi porridge stall.

The operator did not specify the business hours for his stall, which is open from 7am to 3pm, and he closes the stall every alternate Monday.

Mr Ong added: “They asked me how many meals I intended to sell every day. I said only breakfast and lunch. They were okay with that.”

Both stalls at the popular Old Airport Road Food Centre opened in August, about a year after NTUC Foodfare took over its management from the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Mr Ong’s only complaint was that business is “not picking up very fast” as his stall is located at a corner. He tries to make up for that by operating every day, and he has not taken a sick day so far.

Ms Melody Chua, whose husband owns the second stall, told TODAY that they sometimes close their Frutti di Mare Nasi Lemak stall a few hours earlier if they need to run errands, or if their food sells out. Her husband had understood and accepted the terms when signing the contract, she said. 

“But (NTUC Foodfare) doesn’t say anything... I think because we are a new stall, they give us time to adjust,” added the 32-year-old. 

On Tuesday, long-time patron Gary Ho’s Facebook post went viral after he highlighted issues reportedly faced by stallholders at the hawker centre, such as cleaning charges, insurance fees and operating hours, as well as the way hawkers were made to sign contracts.

His post came as an online debate was going on about social enterprise-run hawker centres. Commercial operators managing hawker centres on the social-enterprise model have in recent weeks come under fire for contractual agreements and various charges imposed on hawkers.

A day after Mr Ho's post, NTUC Foodfare clarified that only two out of the 168 stalls at Old Airport Road Food Centre have to operate for at least eight hours a day, and they are allowed to take one day off every week. They also have to notify the operator when taking medical or personal leave.

CONDITIONS NOT STRICTLY ENFORCED

In a letter sent by NTUC Foodfare to all tenants in June, stallholders who were at Old Airport Road Food Centre before it took over are required to fulfil similar conditions. However, these conditions are not stipulated in their contracts.

Tenants were informed about the requirements during a briefing in April last year, “which the NEA expects (NTUC Foodfare) to carry out and for all tenants to comply with”, the letter said. Some of the requirements came into effect from July 1 this year when NTUC Foodfare began managing the centre.

These requirements include seeking approval to adjust food prices, displaying their operating hours and rest day(s) at their stalls, as well as notifying the managing agent if they need to close their stalls outside of their specified rest day(s).

However, hawkers told TODAY that these conditions are not strictly enforced. Some have closed their stalls earlier than expected at times after running out of stock, but they were not penalised by the operator. 

Responding to TODAY’s queries, an NTUC Foodfare spokesperson said that if hawkers need to apply for leave for valid personal reasons or take medical leave, they need only to notify their managing agent. Previously, they were required to seek approval.

On Wednesday, the operator also said that these hawkers do not have to keep minimum operating hours, or limit the number of rest days a week. They need only to notify NTUC Foodfare in advance if they choose to do so.

However, hawkers are still required to get clearance for any price increases or menu changes, the spokesperson added. The operator helped the hawkers to put up notices of their operating hours and rest days at each stall.