Industrial action at Royal Mail appears to be off the table after managers were offered an improved pay deal.

The long-running pay dispute began when around 4,800 managers at the company refused a proposed pay increase of 1.3% for the year beginning September 2015.

After talks with Unite, Royal Mail has reviewed the offer and proposed a new two-year pay deal.

The deal would see the managers receive a 1.6% for the year started September 2015, then a further 1.3% beginning September 2016.

The union has recommended its members take the offer when balloted, which will be “as soon as is practical”.

Unite has suspended the work to rule and over time ban that was in place while the ballot is conducted.

Unite officer for Royal Mail managers Brian Scott said: “Unite welcomes the commitment from Royal Mail to urgently examine issues that the union has identified as of being concern to our members and which affect them at work.

“The company and the employees will work closely together on these issues, which include having the right level of staffing to provide the service that the public expects, after the recent round of redundancies.”