Germany faces postal strike after wage talks fail

DUESSELDORF, Germany, April 19 (Reuters) - Talks over wages and working conditions for 130,000 postal workers in Germany have collapsed, making an unlimited strike likely, German services union Verdi said on Saturday.

Negotiations between Verdi and postal and logistics group Deutsche Post AG (DPWGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) broke down after the employers made a new offer that fell short of the union's demand for a 7 percent pay rise.

The two sides were also negotiating working hours and job protection.

"It amounts to a deliberate provocation to strike," said a spokesman for Verdi, which had threatened to hold an unlimited strike if no deal was reached. (Reporting by Matthias Inverardi, writing by Madeline Chambers in Berlin; Editing by Andre Grenon)