This article from NYTimes.com has been sent to you by psa188@xxxxxxxxx Accord at United on Closing Plant April 4, 2003 By BLOOMBERG NEWS CHICAGO, April 3 - United Airlines and its machinists union resolved a dispute today over plans to close an aircraft maintenance center in Indianapolis by reaching agreements on severance pay and transferring workers. As a result, the International Association of Machinists, the biggest union at United, said it had dropped a lawsuit seeking to stop the closing. The union represents 1,148 mechanics at the Indiana center, where 468 workers were to begin unpaid leave on March 25, and the rest on April 15. Indianapolis workers will have the option of transferring to other centers across the United States based on seniority, a spokesman for the union, Joe Tiberi, said. An airline spokesman, Jeff Green, declined to discuss the cost of the agreement. United, a unit of the UAL Corporation, has said the shutdown would be temporary. The machinists union is concerned that the move may be permanent if the airline follows through with proposals made in contract talks. United, which is based in Chicago, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December. It has said it needs to reduce annual labor expenses by $2.56 billion and may need to cut more because of the war in Iraq. United and the union are still discussing whether the Indianapolis center will eventually reopen, Mr. Tiberi said. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/04/business/04UNIT.html?ex=1050466595&ei=1&en=9525e1dc3edb4f3c HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact onlinesales@xxxxxxxxxxx or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help@xxxxxxxxxxxx Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company