By Doug Cunningham

If the Airline Pilots Association, the International Association of Machinists and the Professional Flight Attendants Association don't reach agreements with Northwest Airlines today, a bankruptcy judge could void the union contracts. Union strike authorization and contract proposal votes are underway.

The pilots union says progress has been made on some issues but there are serious conflicts remaining, including retirement issues, wages and sick leave. The flight attendants say have already given up $195 million in concessions to help Northwest survive bankruptcy but the airline is still pressing to outsource flight attendant jobs to Asia. The machinists union is still voting on whether to approve a proposed new contract agreement.

The unions have said Northwest is using bankruptcy to not only solve financial problems but to try to bust the unions.

The New York federal bankruptcy judge, Allan Gropper, has a set a 5 p.m. deadline today for the company to reach agreements with its unions. He already extended one deadline an extra week to allow for more bargaining. It's possible he could again delay a ruling to give the unions and the company more time at the bargaining table. And if he does throw out the union contracts, Northwest may not impose that solution right away.

Results of a strike vote by the pilots will be released Tuesday.