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British Airways and cabin crew have set a deadline of today to announce either a deal or strike dates in their ongoing dispute over staffing levels, pay and working conditions, according to the Press Association.

The airline has been holding lengthy discussions with trade union Unite, which represents the majority of BA cabin crew, after 80% of its members voted for industrial action.

With cabin crew reported to have offered to accept a 3.4% pay cut, which could save the airline £60 million, to break the deadlock, they are giving the airline until Tuesday evening to accept the proposal or they will announce strike dates.

The deadline comes as Unite nears the end of the period when it must legally announce strike dates. The union has until March 15 to do so and it must provide seven days’ notice of the strikes.

Cabin crew remain unhappy about proposals to cut staff numbers on long-haul flights as well as impose a pay freeze in moves which could save the airline up to £140 million.

The airline has been preparing contingency plans should the strikes go ahead. As many as 1,000 BA employees have agreed to stand in for striking cabin crew.