Walkouts could start soon, the union said after two days of negotiations with Deutsche Post management ended with no agreement.

Deutsche Post announced plans in January to create 10,000 jobs in its parcel business by 2020, but said new workers would have to accept lower wages than other group employees as it tries to compete in a rapidly growing industry.

Verdi has said such a move would breach an agreement limiting how much business Deutsche Post can outsource to third parties and said it would only accept it if the company shortened its workers' hours to 36 per week from 38.5.

Deutsche Post workers have already staged two two-day strikes earlier this month.

Further talks are scheduled for May 8 and 9 in Berlin, the union said.

(Reporting by Kirsti Knolle; Editing by David Holmes)