The article below from NYTimes.com has been sent to you by psa188@xxxxxxxxx /--------- E-mail Sponsored by Fox Searchlight ------------\ I HEART HUCKABEES - OPENING IN SELECT CITIES OCTOBER 1 From David O. Russell, writer and director of THREE KINGS and FLIRTING WITH DISASTER comes an existential comedy starring Dustin Hoffman, Isabelle Hupert, Jude Law, Jason Schwartzman, Lily Tomlin, Mark Wahlberg and Naomi Watts. Watch the trailer now at: http://www.foxsearchlight.com/huckabees/index_nyt.html \----------------------------------------------------------/ Bankruptcy Judge Rules Against United Airlines September 24, 2004 By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 3:13 p.m. ET CHICAGO (AP) -- A federal bankruptcy judge ruled against United Airlines on Friday in a procedural dispute, siding with unions who said the company submitted unsubstantiated factual claims about how employees would be affected if their pension programs were terminated. Judge Eugene Wedoff granted an emergency motion filed by United's machinists and flight attendants, striking from the record a 107-page document which parent company UAL Corp. filed with the court late Thursday. The ruling does not derail United's controversial bid to shed its pension obligations but underscores that eliminating them will not be achieved without a legal battle. The unions had key backing in their emergency motion from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., the government agency that would have to take on billions of dollars in obligations if United terminates the pensions. In the filing, United said its pension plans are in far better financial condition than previously estimated and that the impact of terminating them would be less than initially feared. It said its four pension plans are underfunded by $2.7 billion, as opposed to the $8.3 billion estimated by the pension agency. The government agency strongly objected to the United filing, telling the court it was ``procedurally improper, gives potentially opposing parties no realistic opportunity to respond and serves no legitimate purpose.'' Wedoff agreed with that reasoning at a hearing Friday morning. United spokeswoman Jean Medina said the company was disappointed. ``We still believe the information is important for all of our employees and retirees and other stakeholders,'' she said. ``We will continue to make the information briefs available.'' United's pilots, who would take by far the biggest hit if pensions are eliminated, had joined the other employee groups in assailing the filing. ``No amount of self-serving sugarcoating by the company's lawyers can mask the plain fact that ... the immediate impact on thousands of individual retired and active pilots will be devastating,'' the Air Line Pilots Association said late Thursday. ^------ On the Net: www.united.com http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-United-Airlines.html?ex=1097054939&ei=1&en=ab4d6b663dc3e5ce --------------------------------- Get Home Delivery of The New York Times Newspaper. Imagine reading The New York Times any time & anywhere you like! Leisurely catch up on events & expand your horizons. Enjoy now for 50% off Home Delivery! Click here: http://homedelivery.nytimes.com/HDS/SubscriptionT1.do?mode=SubscriptionT1&ExternalMediaCode=W24AF 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 2004 The New York Times Company