United attendants claim right to strke

NEW YORK — The union representing flight attendants at UAL Corp.’s United Airlines said Thursday they have the right to strike, now that the airline altered their contract without their consent.

The Association of Flight Attendants said in a press release the federal Pension Benefit Guarantee Corp. took over the flight attendants’ pension plan Thursday, a move flight attendants have tried to prevent.

United flight attendants said the change to their contract triggers their right to strike. Typically, airline employees may not legally strike unless negotiations have hit an impassé.

The flight attendants said that because they didn’t consent to changes to the contract, they may strike.