OTTAWA, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- About 6,000 people, mostly women, who worked for the Canadian postal service could share up to $250 million under a Canadian Supreme Court ruling Thursday.
The high court's ruling came in a pay equity case brought 28 years ago, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. Most of the workers who will receive the retroactive payments are now retired.
"We respect the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada and will abide by their ruling," Canada Post said in a statement.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada had sued in 1983, alleging Canada Post was paying male employees more than comparable female employees.
The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled in the workers' favor and awarded $150 million in damages plus interest in 2005. In 2008, the Federal Court overturned that decision and its action was upheld by the Federal Court of Appeal.
But the Supreme Court agreed to take up the matter and ruled unanimously in favor of the plaintiffs.
