The Judge Speaks

On January 22, 2004, a hearing was held before bankruptcy court Judge
Wedoff on an emergency motion filed by the United Retired Pilots Benefit
Protection Association.  The motion asked Judge Wedoff to appoint URPBPA
as the representative of the retired United pilots, their dependents,
and survivors to participate in any discussions on United's proposal to
reduce retiree medical benefits and to increase the cost of medical
insurance for United's retired pilots and their beneficiaries.
 
Judge Wedoff denied the motion on the grounds that appointing URPBPA as
the representative of the retired pilots was premature at this time.  He
wants to evaluate the structure of a retiree committee or committees
before making any decisions concerning who will be the representatives
that serve on the committees.  He did order that a process be started to
insure that all of United's retirees are properly represented in any
discussions United may have over the company's proposed changes to
retiree medical benefits.  He wants to insure that all retiree groups
have the opportunity to hear United's proposals and to participate in
discussions over any potential changes.  URPBPA will be doing everything
possible to insure that it's 3,000 members are properly represented in
the establishment of the committee and it's representatives, as well as
discussions on any proposals United makes to reduce retiree medical
benefits. 
 
United represented to Judge Wedoff that they would not meet with or
discuss any of their proposed modifications to the retirees medical
plans until the retiree committee or committees were formed by Judge
Wedoff.  Consequently, the meeting United had been planning to hold on
January 26, 2004, with several unions and individuals United management
was going to select to purportedly represent retired pilots has been
canceled.
 
Judge Wedoff ordered United to present to the Court the company's
proposals on the structure of a retiree committee by January 23, 2004. 
This is the first step in establishing a "Retiree Committee."  A hearing
on United's "Committee" proposal will be held in Judge Wedoff's court on
January 29, 2004.  At that hearing, URPBPA's attorneys will present our
arguments that URPBPA should be recognized as the representative of the
retired pilots, their dependents, and survivors.
 
The final decision on the structure and members of the "Retiree
Committee" will be made by Judge Wedoff after he has received
presentations from the retiree groups including URPBPA.