More than 25 couples working at Australia Post’s Dandenong site
Cupid’s arrow has struck Australia Post with more than two dozen couples working at its Dandenong facility. Here's why love is in the air.
South East
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Love is in the air at Australia Post with more than two dozen couples working at one Melbourne site.
The Dandenong Letters Centre has 27 husband and wife duos, making it one of the most loved-up company’s in the state.
Manager Rod Hoober said it may be unusual for some companies to have so many partners but with more than 1000 employees at the 120 Nathan Rd facility, it’s a common occurrence.
“Traditionally at Christmas, Australia Post get busy with cards and presents so often they have some casual engagement for six weeks,” he said.
“That means family and friends come on board to work casually and then eventually sign on for part-time or full time employment.”
Mr Hoober said half of the couples met at the centre with the majority of them working in different areas like forklift driving, administration and mail delivery.
“People tend to stay here, they see it as a job for life,” he said.
“Once they become employed they don’t want to leave.”
Niki LeClair and her husband Francois have been married for 16 years and met on the job.
The pair locked eyes when Mrs LeClair completed work experience as a 16-year-old but their romance didn’t blossom until she did overtime during a shift.
“I bumped into him and he was coming into work and I was finishing and he just remembered me,” she said.
“It just took off from there.”
Mrs LeClair said she loved working with her husband.
“I did 19 years of night shifts and I never got to see him but now we are on the same shifts,” she said.
“The best part of working together is having the same routine, we sleep the same hours, we wake up at the same time and we have meals together.”
Bernadette Gunasekera and her husband Tilak met in Sri Lanka and have been married for 32 years.
They migrated to Australia in 1988 and started working at Australia Post together 27 years ago.
Although Ms Gunasekera said she enjoyed working with her husband, she said there were challenges at times.
“When it comes to family, when you work the same shift it can be difficult if you have children,” she said.
“When my daughter was younger I had to rely on friends and childcare.”
As for her secret to a successful working relationship, Ms Gunasekera follows a strict rule.
“Work is work so when we come home we don’t talk about it,” she said.
“It’s a good rule to have.”
