Talks aimed at resolving the long-running post dispute are set to resume with fresh strikes threatened unless there is a breakthrough in the next few days.
Leaders of the Communication Workers Union and bosses from Royal Mail spent the weekend considering a series of proposals drawn-up during marathon talks last week chaired by TUC general secretary Brendan Barber.
The backlog of mail caused by three days of strikes last week is estimated to have grown to between 50 and 60 million.
The two sides clashed on support for the latest walkout when the union said there was overwhelming backing from 77,000 delivery and collection staff on Saturday while the Royal Mail claimed that 25% of delivery workers had turned up for duty.
The union and the Royal Mail have blamed each other for a series of breakdowns in negotiations in recent weeks which have led to two waves of strikes.
The union has announced that two further 24 hour national walkouts will be held next Friday, November 6 and the following Monday November 9 involving all of its 121,000 postal members unless there is a deal in the next few days.
The union's general secretary Billy Hayes said the CWU remained focussed on reaching an agreement this week.
The Royal Mail had condemned the union for announcing fresh strikes warning it would distract from the peace efforts.
Meanwhile the union was still considering whether to take legal action against the Royal Mail over the recruitment of 30,000 agency workers to deal with the backlog of mail caused by the strikes as well as the Christmas rush.
