London  - Postal workers at Britain's Royal Mail began a two-day national strike Thursday following the collapse of protracted talks about pay, job security and modernization.

A total of 120,000 workers are expected to walk out across the country. Picket lines were mounted outside mail distribution centres.

On the eve of the walk-out, Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned workers that a strike would be "counter productive."

Unions said a draft agreement on a deal between management and unions had been reached on Tuesday, but Royal Mail management had refused to sign it in the "last minute." (dpa)