Eastern and its pilots union will resume talks.

Both sides agreed to the resumption of the federally mediated negotiations in Washington next week in an effort to head off a strike. The National Mediation Board had urged earlier in the day that the talks be resumed “in the public interest.” On Wednesday, members of Eastern’s local of the Air Line Pilots Assn., who are scheduled to go out on strike Feb. 26, had offered to take a 20% pay cut over the next three years and said they were “willing to bargain in good faith.” An Eastern spokesman responded: “We’re equally as willing as the union to talk again.”