Brunswick News walks back pay cut for some newspaper carriers

Brunswick News Inc. has partially walked back a pay cut it had given to newspaper carriers in the province amid public criticism.

Brunswick News Inc., the Irving-owned company that owns the provinces three English-language daily newspapers, along with other weekly publications, had previously announced newspaper carriers were seeing their rate of 15 cents per paper and flyer was dropping by a penny.

That pay cut sparked anegative response, whichmade its way back to the company.

The company said in a statement posted on the Telegraph-Journal website the decision is being partially rolled back following feedback from those contractors and the public.

We have listened to peoples concerns and we understand their reactions, said Henry Yates, BNIs distribution manager, in a statement posted on Wednesday.

All of our carriers work hard to deliver our newspapers to readers. But for many of our walking carriers, some of our youngest, this is their first job, one that teaches them the value of work. We want to make sure they continue to see the value of that hard work.

The statement said the pay cut for carriers was supposed to reflect the falling cost of gasoline. The company said lower gas prices reduced expenses for carriers.

So walking carriers will have their pay restored, but that wont be the same for other carriers.

Drivers who deliver BNI newspapers and flyers did not have a long time to benefit from lower gas costs for long.

Regulated gasoline costs dropped to 91.4 cents a litre on Jan. 15, but those pump prices have continued to increase. On Thursday, the maximum regulated price of gas was 101.8 cents a litre.

The company said in its statement that any walking carriers that had their pay cut will be reimbursed.