Following a meeting held today between Royal Mail and CWU a Joint Statement has been agreed that means detailed discussions will take place on all the relevant issues between the two parties. As a result the next wave of postal strikes due to commence today after 19.00 hrs are suspended. 

In a joint statement following talks today between Allan Leighton, Adam Crozier, Billy Hayes and Dave Ward, Royal Mail and the CWU said that it was agreed:

• that both parties commit to talks on all the issues between them, hosted and facilitated by the TUC. Both sides commit to reach an agreement by 4 September. 
• that, during this period the talks are on a confidential basis with no media or internal briefings unless explicitly jointly agreed.  The CWU Executive and Royal Mail Board will receive regular updates on progress and would also be expected to undertake this confidentiality clause.
• that, for that period, Royal Mail will not serve notice or take any unilateral action to impose changes by executive action. 
• that, for that period CWU will suspend industrial action. 
• that, the signatories to this joint statement will review the process as and when necessary. 

The statement is signed by Allan Leighton and Adam Crozier for Royal Mail and Billy Hayes, General Secretary and Dave Ward Deputy General Secretary for CWU.

The initial strike action saw millions of pieces of undelivered mail piling up since industrial action started on 25 July. Last week the union announced that it had called on its members to extend a series of 24-hour strikes by a further two weeks in a dispute over a 2.5% pay increase offered by Royal Mail's executives and modernisation plans which postal workers say will result in the loss of up to 40,000 jobs.