Post boxes were sealed during wildcat strikes in October

The London divisional committee of the Communication Workers' Union wants strikes on 19 and 22 December.

They claim there has been no progress at talks trying to resolve a dispute over London Weighting and issues such as new delivery patterns.

A deadline of 10 December has been set for an agreement to be reached between the two sides.

A series of unofficial stoppages, which started in London, crippled post deliveries last month but they ended after the union and the Royal Mail agreed to hold further talks.

Even the suggestion of a strike is madness Royal Mail spokesman

A CWU official in London said on Monday: "Postal workers in London are very angry at the lack of progress in the talks. There seems to be a lack of urgency.

"The Royal Mail will make a lot of money if there is an agreement to end second deliveries so we don't accept they don't have any money."

But a union spokesman said the strike call would not be considered by the CWU executive until the talks with the Royal Mail were completed.

The Royal Mail has made it clear it will not improve a �300 a year increase in London Weighting allowances, which was paid to the capital's 28,500 postal workers in October.

Recruitment problems

The increase took the inner London allowance to �3,784 a year (an increase of 8.6%) and outer London allowances to �2,667 (12.6%).

The union is seeking a new allowance of �4,000, warning of huge recruitment problems and staff shortages because of the high cost of living in London.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We have not been notified of any strike threat.

"We are focusing on talks, not threats. Even the suggestion of a strike is madness."