Marianne, a 66-year-old former French mail carrier, worked for 41 years at the French Post Office, a company known as La Poste. She joined the company in 1979, when it was still part of the public administration under the acronym PTT. Her job consisted of delivering mail by bicycle through small towns in Brittany, often in the rain and cold, covering the same routes on a regular basis.
At age 62, Marianne managed to retire before the changes introduced by the French pension reform approved in 2023. She currently receives a net pension of €1,240 per month, representing a reduction of about €370 compared to the approximately €1,610 she earned when she was active. In addition to her monthly income, she retains some benefits related to her former employer, including special conditions for banking and telecommunications services.
During her career, Marianne interrupted her work three times to have her three children, managing to balance her profession with raising a family. Before joining the post office, she helped her family on a dairy farm. Over her four decades of service, she witnessed profound changes in the conditions offered to workers and believes that those who joined later no longer benefited from the same job stability as at the start of her career.
Although she shows gratitude for the income she receives, Marianne believes that the pension amount does not match the effort of such a long career. "I spent my whole life working and, although I am grateful, it seems too little for so many years of service," she stated. Currently, her priority is to enjoy her free time, be with her family and look after her grandchildren.
