A fresh wave of national strikes by postal workers will be held by the end of the month unless a bitter row over pay and conditions is resolved, union leaders announced today.

Talks aimed at resolving the dispute ended at the weekend without agreement and union leaders warned today that the Royal Mail was about to implement changes to the conditions of postal workers.

The Communication Workers’ Union said: “Despite being committed to further talks and being determined to reach an agreement, CWU will announce further strikes to be held prior to the end of September.”

The union said that the Royal Mail had improved its original 2.5% pay offer, which was heavily rejected by postal workers and led to a series of national walk-outs over the summer, which crippled postal services.

The company is now offering a two-year deal worth 6.7%, according to the union.

But officials complained that the organisation was sticking to rejected proposals on pensions including increased employee contributions and an increased retirement age.

The two sides have also failed to agree changes to conditions such as the start of early shifts.

The CWU’s announcement, made on the second day of the annual TUC congress in Brighton, raises the spectre of a winter of discontent for Gordon Brown.

Mr Brown warned unions in his keynote address to TUC delegates yesterday there would be “no loss of discipline” over public sector pay in the future.

His comments were met with warnings from Mark Serwotka, the general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, that his civil service members would take part in a ballot over pay unless the government held “meaningful negotiations” before the end of the month.

Later today, the TUC congress will debate a motion on public sector pay, calling for coordinated industrial action against “unfair public sector pay limits”.

FRESH demands were made today to clean-up a set of Old Town steps that have been plagued by vandals and people urinating and sleeping rough.

Labour councillor Norma Hart has lodged a motion calling for the city council to take action at the Scotsman Steps, which link North Bridge and Market Street.

The general manager of The Scotsman Hotel on North Bridge today also demanded measures to improve the steps.

The luxury hotel and the City nightclub in Market Street agreed in 2003 to pay for shutters to be installed at both entrances to the steps, to prevent access at night.

But the shutters have since been vandalised and not repaired.

Cllr Hart, who represents Liberton and Gilmerton, said

: “The condition of the Scotsman Steps is deplorable. This famous staircase has become such an embarrassment most of us are unwilling to use it.

”

Her motion, which is due to be tabled at a full council meeting on September 20, calls for the council to “recognise the iconic status and strategic importance” of the Scotsman Steps and acknowledge that “their current state is unacceptable”.

The general manager of the Scotsman Hotel, Daniel Pereira, renewed calls for the local authority to take action.

He said sturdier gates to block off the steps at night would be one option to pursue.

“The steps are currently being used as a toilet or for people to take drugs and that is a real shame when you consider the history of these steps,” Mr Pereira said.

He added: “We would be more than happy to assist the council in any way we can.”

Mark Turley, the council’s director of services for communities, said: “There is no doubt that the Scotsman Steps are a particular trouble-spot for our street cleansing taskforce, but we are doing our best to keep on top of it.

“The steps are cleared of litter on a daily basis and every second day the taskforce team cleans them using a powerful hot-wash.

“A few years ago, gates were fitted to both entrances in partnership with the Scotsman Hotel, and this strategy had a positive impact.

“Unfortunately these gates were, in time, so badly vandalised that they had to be removed.

“We welcome Cllr Hart’s motion. If passed, we would be keen to work with stakeholders to find a sustainable solution.”

England’s difficulties over who should play fly-half against the Springboks on Friday approached crisis point today when Brian Ashton announced that Olly Barkley was on his way to hospital for tests on an injured hip. The England coach had just named his starting line-up for the match in Paris which showed four changes - one positional - from the side that flopped in its opening game against Lens.

To no one’s surprise Jonny Wilkinson was not mentioned, but there was a space in the list of replacements which suggests Ashton has hopes that the hero of 2003 might be available. Either that or he is becoming increasingly desperate. If Barkley joins the list of injured there is no other No10 left in the squad and the job would presumably go to Mike Catt, who played at No10 for England in the dim and distant past when he covered for every position behind the scrum bar scrum-half.

Not only that, but England would be horribly short of kickers with that difficult parcel being passed to the rugby league convert Andy Farrell, who is again on the bench in Ashton’s original selection.

Increasingly the decision to leave Toby Flood at home seems to be a poor one, and might have to be reconsidered. He is seen as someone who could shake England’s attacking play out of the dull pattern that has been seen not just in Lens last Saturday, but in the two warm-up defeats against France.

Otherwise the changes are much as expected. Mark Cueto, still a winger despite England’s attempts to make him into a full-back, pays for being a fish out of water against the USA. He was brave under the high ball, but his tactical kicking let him down and his strength is in finishing off moves rather than ghosting into the line to create space for others outside him to do that job.

Jason Robinson is handed the No15 shirt, meaning that the 27-year-old Paul Sackey of Wasps moves to the wing for his fifth cap, which could be a blessing in disguise for England. Sackey is a force of nature, sometimes a risk in defence, but totally unpredictable when he’s attacking. However, while one Wasps player comes in, two others are dropped and don’t even make the replacements bench. Lawrence Dallaglio is replaced at No8 by Nick Easter and at blind-side flanker Joe Worsley moves aside for England’s former captain Martin Corry.

The present captain, Phil Vickery is named in the starting line-up, but that depends on what happens later today when he appears before a disciplinary hearing after being cited for “kicking” the USA centre Paul Emerick during Saturday’s match. The kick was actually a trip, but that’s how the citation reads which is yet more bad news for England.

England team: Robinson, Lewsey, Noon, Catt, Sackey, Barkley, Perry, Easter, Rees, Corry, Kay, Shaw, Vickery (captain), Regan, Sheridan. Replacements: Chuter, Stevens, Borthwick, Moody, Gomarsall, Farrell.