Union leaders will decide on Wednesday whether to press ahead with three more days of national postal strikes starting on Thursday, after two days of talks aimed at resolving the deadlock in the dispute over pay and working conditions.

The postal executive of the Communication Workers Union will meet on Wednesday afternoon to consider any progress made during negotiations with Royal Mail under the chairmanship of Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress. It could decide to call the strikes off or, if there is no breakthrough, call for further strike action.