The postal strike has been suspended after unions and management agreed to get round the table for talks.

But while local Communication Workers Union leaders have welcomed the move, they say it could take until the end of next week to clear the backlog.

The main Oxford mail sorting office in Cowley was due to go on strike at 7pm tonight but after Royal Mail chairman Allan Leighton, chief executive Adam Crozier, CWU general secretary Billy Hayes and deputy Dave Ward put out a general statement, it was put on hold until September 4.

CWU Oxford branch representative Bob Cullen said: "This is the first time they have agreed to negotiate around the package they have offered us rather than reiterate their position."

But he warned: "If they do not seriously negotiate with us, then we only have to give a week's notice and the strike will be back on."

Mr Cullen added that the backlog of thousands of parcels at the Abingdon office was "up to the roof" as staff had been concentrating on delivering smaller items of mail, although Cowley was relatively clear.

He said: "Some of the packets at Abingdon have been there for three weeks as there has been no overtime.

"There is so much mail in the pipeline nationally that it will take until the end of next week to clear."

The national dispute is over pay and fears over privatisation which the CWU says will cost 40,000 jobs nationally.

The joint statement said both parties were committed to talks hosted by the Trades Union Congress and would reach an agreement by September 4.

In exchange, the Royal Mail would not impose any changes to working practices and the CWU would suspend the strikes which have lasted for eight weeks.

A Royal Mail spokesman said it would not comment further on the joint statement.