Members of International Association of Machinists Lodge 143 voted this week in northern Minnesota and the Twin Cities on a proposed contract with Northwest Airlines. They also voted whether to strike if the contract is rejected.

Balloting is being conducted nationwide and will not conclude until March 3.

Meanwhile, members of the Air Line Pilots Association and the Professional Flight Attendants Association are voting whether to strike. They have not put contract offers before their memberships.

Northwest management says it needs to save $1.4 billion in costs to continue to operate.

All the unions face the possibility of having their contracts abrogated in Bankruptcy Court, since the airline sought Chapter 11 protection last fall. On Thursday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Allan Gropper gave the parties one more week to negotiate before he makes a ruling.

"The IAM feels we have the legal right to strike if our contracts are abrogated by the judge," the union notes on its website, www.iam143.org