Friday, May 20, 2005 | 9:13 a.m.
CHICAGO -- Trying to avert a threatened strike, United Airlines and its machinists union negotiated through the night as an unofficial deadline neared for resolving a standoff over a new long-term contract.
The Machinists union said negotiators remained at the bargaining table this morning, hoping to resolve remaining differences over a new lower-cost pension plan before the conclusion of a bankruptcy-court trial.
Closing arguments in that proceeding, on United's proposal to impose pay and benefit cuts without the union's consent, were scheduled to begin later today. The union representing 20,000 machinists said they will walk off the job if Judge Eugene Wedoff approves the company's plan to break the contract.
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