General Dynamics, US Foods Jump Into N.Y. Times Pension Spat

General Dynamics Corp., US Foods Inc., and United Natural Foods Inc. are among the employers jumping into a lawsuit asking how much money the New York Times Co. owes a union pension fund.

Six companies filed a Jan. 9 brief supporting the Times in its case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Illinois meat processor Ruprecht Co. filed its own brief supporting the paper.

The companies join the Times in objecting to how the pension fund calculated liability for the newspaper when it allegedly withdrew from the fund. The pension fund’s calculation method fundamentally ...