A U.S. Bankruptcy Court Friday permitted the Star Tribune to pay 43 bought-out workers a collective $436,478.

Last month, the Strib informed the workers — who accepted buyouts between April and September 2008 — that any remaining severance would go unpaid, or be capped at $10,950. That latter figure is the limit under bankruptcy law without court approval.

In the most extreme case, one worker stood to lose $52,400; 15 workers were owed more than $10,000.

To its credit, ownership had asked the court for permission to pay the obligation, arguing the payments were necessary "to retain, and provide security to, remaining Employees." To their credit, the paper's lenders did not object.

The only dissent came from United States Trustee Diana G. Adams, who noted the payments would be in excess of the federal limit.

Pre-bankruptcy, union negotiators had asked Strib management to accelerate buyout payments so they would not be tied up in Chapter 11, says Newspaper Guild executive officer Mike Bucsko. Despite a nerve-wracking few weeks, it looks like the workers will come out whole after all.