This week’s postal strike looks increasingly likely to go ahead.

The Communication Workers’ Union announced today that Post Office management had rejected its offer for 'meaningful’ talks in a bid to avert proposed industrial action.

But the Post Office denied this was the case.Terry Pullinger, Deputy General Secretary (Postal), said: 'Last week the CWU wrote to the IOM Post Office and offered three days of meaningful talks on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in an effort to avoid the strike.

’The CWU were contacted by the IOM Industrial Relations Officer offering their services to facilitate those talks which we accepted.

’However, the IOM Post Office declined because they believed there was no point until Tynwald had made a decision on the pensions and the move from six days to five for letter deliveries.’

Members of the CWU last week voted overwhelmingly for strike action.

Tynwald this week will be asked to approve closing the Post Office pension scheme to new members and ending Saturday letters delivery.

Mr Pullinger said it was ’totally unacceptable’ that politicians who have not been involved in the talks should make a decision on two fundamental issues which could make a resolution impossible.

He said: ’The CWU is the recognised trade union responsible for negotiating on pay, pensions, conditions, major change and redundancies. A political vote on issues still in discussion is no more than sanctioned executive action and quite frankly outrageous.

’This proves why an agreement has not been reached, we have not been negotiating with decision makers, they have been hiding in the rooms of Tynwald.

’Such decisions should not be voted on until the dispute is resolved and I call on all politicians to do the right thing.’Isle of Man Post Office said it 'strongly refutes' the union claims that it has rejected the opportunity to have ‘meaningful’ talks.It said it has agreed to a day of intense negotiation talks to take place this Wednesday (December 12).Ongoing discussions with the CWU on job evaluation have taken place today (Monday), it said, and continue to do so in order to progress the new pay structure.Chairman Julie Edge MHK said: 'We wish to avoid this week’s planned strike action and the disruption this will have on our valued customers, especially at our busiest time of the year.'We are optimistic that by the end of the day on Wednesday, we will have a way forward.'We are disappointed that the CWU has claimed we have rejected the offer of talks when they are already ongoing. It is completely untrue.'She added that it has always been the intention to bring key aspects of the five year strategy to Tynwald for approval.Mrs Edge said the board firmly believes the recommendations are in the best interests of 'our staff, customers and other key stakeholders'. 'The decisions made tomorrow will impact everyone at IoM Post Office, not just postal workers,' she said.