Marja Vilppula handles early-morning deliveries. She is a real veteran of the company, having delivered newspapers as part of Posti’s early-morning network for 30 years. Now, at the age of 73, she plans to continue delivery work part-time for as long as her health remains good.
But let’s go back in time around ten years, to the moment when Marja officially retired. Like many, she had long dreamed of the easy life after retirement.
“I’ve been doing night work for a long time. The early-morning deliveries begin after midnight and last until dawn. Night work influenced my life because regular pursuits were difficult to keep up with, and I had no time to meet friends in the evenings. Always, when delivering the newspapers, I dreamed of retirement and having time to sleep”, Marja says.
And at first, the retired life did suit Marja. However, being at home and in the garden soon began to get dull. The much-anticipated long nights of sleep came to nothing.
“In the first place, I didn't get to sleep much since I had always gotten by with fairly little sleep. And it began to feel that I was getting nothing done during the days when I was retired. I just hung around the house. I called up my friends so often that they began to get fed up. And my pension wasn’t great. When you’re retired, you spend far more money than when working”, Marja says.
Wonderful Summer Nights
Marja decided to go back to work. As her physical condition was good and the job on the early morning shift also helped in maintaining her health, the solution seemed to be a wise one. In addition, Marja started earning a salary alongside her pension.
Early-morning delivery is well suited for pensioners, as it gives them the flexibility to negotiate routes and work. Currently, Marja works four mornings a week. She carries out the deliveries on foot, using a cart. The work is so physical that it gives a good morning workout. Especially in the winter nights, pushing the cart in Töölö is quite an act when the thick snow makes it hard to move forward.
On the other hand, in the beautiful summer nights the work doesn’t even feel like work. During her shift Marja can enjoy the quiet summer city, where only the delivery people are on the move along with the occasional night-time reveller. Marja recommends newspaper delivery for all pensioners who need to have something to do and need some extra money to supplement their pensions. The work helps her to stay in good condition and allows her to meet other Posti workers as they gather together each night before the start of the delivery shift. Health services are also available. Marja is impressed with the flexibility of the management:
“I have an absolutely wonderful manager. I have asked for shifts where I can use as many lifts as possible, and my wishes have been considered”.
