San Jose Paper Slowly Restores Home Delivery

Delivery service for the San Jose Mercury News was slowly being restored Friday after a work stoppage by several hundred carriers reduced home deliveries in previous days.

Publisher Jay T. Harris met with a few carriers at the West Valley delivery branch in Campbell early Friday morning and assured them he would reinstate the contracts of four carriers terminated earlier this week.

Harris also confirmed that a 12% pay raise was in effect for all carriers, with a $200 bonus for those who came back to work immediately Oct. 10 upon request.

Many of the carriers began to strike on Sunday, and by Wednesday 582 carriers were refusing to work.

As of Thursday, 434 carriers still were refusing to deliver, holding out for a 15% pay increase. Mercury News spokeswoman Patty Wise said some papers arrived late Friday, but the publication hoped to restore full service by the weekend.