As part of its representations, the NFRN reminded publishers that the TPAI scheme had not maintained the original agreement which, as a minimum, was to index link the payment scheme against increases in the National Minimum Wage. This was to recognise that the principal cost of delivering heavy-weight TPAIs was the extra news deliverer wages that had to be paid, particularly when rounds had to be given extra resource or double run as a result of additional weight.
Chairman of the NFRN’s Newstrade Operations Committee Sam Whiteside said: “After meeting with all the publishers we wrote to them with details of our calculations which showed that an increase in the payment scale by 10.84% was due. I am delighted that Mirror Group Newspapers and the Telegraph have accepted our representations and will be increasing their respective payment tables from 1st January 2011. This will include an annual review thereafter. I am now hoping for a similar positive response from the other publishers.”
