United Airlines flight attendants lost a bid in court for an injunction to keep the carrier from going ahead with an agreement that would end their pension plans.
The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents 20,000 workers at United, said in a statement that it would appeal the ruling.
U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle denied the union's motion Wednesday in Washington, saying the labor group did not meet standards for granting the relief.
The union, in seeking the injunction, argued that the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., which insures U.S. retirement plans, violated federal law by agreeing with UAL Corp.'s United to end the plans.
Under the April agreement, the agency would take on $6.6 billion in pension liabilities from United's four plans and receive $1.5 billion in securities.
United wants to scrap the plans to help cut costs and exit bankruptcy protection.
