A life between newspapers and nighttime encounters: The delivery man from Ottobrunn

A life between newspapers and nighttime encounters: The delivery man from Ottobrunn

Milomir Žunić, a 49-year-old man who has been working for the Süddeutsche Zeitung for 14 years, has settled well into his role as a delivery person in Ottobrunn near Munich. He has been managing the distribution point for almost four years and has experienced the diverse sides of his job. As the darkness of the night envelops his work, he enjoys the peace and solitude that delivery brings. “I have never had any negative experiences in all these years,” says Žunić and shares with us the encounters with “crazy people” during his nightly rounds. He had a particularly bizarre encounter with a scantily clad woman who spoke to him and, a short time later, insulted him without comment.

However, the dark side of being a delivery person cannot be overlooked. High stress, time pressure and the need to be weatherproof are part of the newspaper delivery person's everyday life. “The weather is often unpredictable, you just have to get through it,” says Žunić, adding: “The day usually starts around 1 a.m., then the sorting takes place and you have around 200 newspapers to deliver by 6 or 7 a.m.” There are occasional complaints from older customers about late deliveries, but above all he receives positive feedback, which gives him an additional boost of motivation.

Diverse tasks and strict requirements

However, working as a newspaper delivery person is more complex than many people think. How verdi reported, the employer determines the working hours and the necessary materials for delivery. Before starting work, delivery workers must have materials such as a territory book, keys for house entrances and weatherproof clothing ready. You also get two types of packages: the full packages with a constant number of newspapers and the top packages that include additional copies on weekends and special occasions.

Sorting, counting and documenting newspapers is one of the most important tasks. As part of the work process, the delivery staff are also responsible for waiting in the event of late delivery and processing complaints. Sometimes they have to travel around the city, be it by car, bike or handcart, to deliver the materials. “Repacking in depots is often necessary because the newspapers are too heavy to transport all at once,” says Žunić, explaining the logistical effort behind the simple delivery of daily reading materials.

A life between work and family

Aside from work, Žunić has another important part of his life - his seven-year-old son, who lives with his ex-wife. “It's not always easy, but I try to be a good father,” he says with a thoughtful look. He spends his free time, among other things, watching games of the “Sechzig München” football club, of which he is a big fan.

Overall, the everyday life of Milomir Žunić and his colleagues shows that the newspaper delivery profession is not only characterized by the clichés that one often hears. It is a demanding job that demands a lot from the delivery staff. But despite all the challenges, they look at their tasks with a smile. “You always have the opportunity to experience something new,” concluded Žunić. Whether it's the bizarre encounters or the satisfied faces of readers that await the newspapers every morning - there's something for those who are prepared to work hard at night.