Former workers at the now-closed St. Anne-Nackawic pulp mill who saw their pensions reduced by a provincial law want to take their case to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Several dozen pensioners protested at the New Brunswick legislature Tuesday. They are seeking leave to appeal to Canada's highest court a February 2007 New Brunswick Court of Appeal ruling that upheld a provincial pensions law.

The mill went bankrupt and closed in September 2004 without enough money in the pension fund to provide what had been promised to retired employees and their families.

At that time, the mill determined workers under 55 would get no pension at all and those over 55 would get about 87 per cent of their original pensions.

The province enacted changes to the Pension Benefits Act in December 2005 that cleared the way for younger employees who also lost their jobs to receive some coverage. 

After the change, workers older than 55 began receiving only between 65 and 72 per cent of their pensions.

Craig Melanson, the pensioner who speaks for the over-55 group asking the Supreme Court to strike down the appeal court ruling, said they are still fighting.

"Part of the message we want to get today is that: 'No, we haven't gone away,' " Melanson said Tuesday. "The issues are still there. They haven't been resolved."

The Supreme Court is not obligated to hear the case, but will decide whether to do so.