MINNEAPOLIS — Northwest Airlines and its striking mechanics gathered for talks yesterday, but prospects for a deal were uncertain since the airline demanded steeper cuts than those prompting the strike.

Ken Reed, president of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association local in Duluth, told The Associated Press that Northwest is proposing to keep just 1,020 of its 3,000 mechanics nationwide. Minneapolis and Detroit would keep 820 mechanics combined, and 200 mechanics would stay on in Duluth; other maintenance would be outsourced.

Reed said the airline's latest proposal was relayed to him by his union local representative, who participated in yesterday's talks.

Bob Rose, president of the AMFA local in Detroit, confirmed the layoff figure.

Northwest spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch would neither confirm nor deny the proposal Reed outlined.

Union officials participating in talks in the Twin Cities said they were waiting for Northwest to put the details of the latest negotiations in writing. Union contract coordinator Jeff Mathews declined to provide details, but said the talks lasted about 30 minutes.

Union members walked out on Aug. 20 rather than accept 25 percent pay cuts and layoffs of some 2,000 workers. The airline has told the union it would begin hiring permanent replacements by Tuesday if they didn't make a deal.

David Benedict, who worked as a mechanic for 18 years in Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Atlanta, said he thought the meetings yesterday were just another step toward bankruptcy.

"They're negotiating again, just so they can go to a bankruptcy judge and say, 'We made them a final offer.' (It's) so they can save face."

David Pounds, a 22-year mechanic, said he was pondering a career switch, perhaps to sell cars. He has had job interviews, but hasn't had any offers.

"People are reluctant to hire a guy on strike," he said.

Also, he has had trouble finding a job where the pay matches what he made as a mechanic. Union mechanics made $70,000 a year on average.

Striking workers could return to work if Northwest had a job for them, but that's an empty promise for some. Northwest hired vendors to do much of its aircraft cleaning, for instance, so striking cleaners would not be able to get their jobs back. And Northwest has shifted much of its mechanics' work to outside vendors.

Todd Henshaw, an 18-year mechanic, knows his job would be cut.

"I already know I'm gone. I'm hoping they will give a living wage to those who are left," he said of the negotiations.

In a letter to the union that was made public on Wednesday, Julie Hagen Showers, Northwest's vice president for labor relations, wrote, "Our last best offer which was presented to you on August 18 was based on economic circumstances that no longer exist today."

She said the company had been prepared to honor that offer, but the company's finances had deteriorated since then and "unfortunately we are no longer able to do so."