Royal Mail workers across the county are embarking on the first day of a four-day strike over pay and working conditions.

There will be no post delivered today, and over three days next week, except for special deliveries.

Members of the Communications Workers Union have gathered to protest for better pay and working conditions in places including Dartford, Gravesend, Sittingbourne, Chatham and Canterbury, Ashford and Tonbridge.

The union's representative for Ashford, Justin Mulcahy, was protesting with workers on the picket line in Station Road from 5.50am to 11am today.

He says it makes him angry the company is not listening to the union.

"I'm passionate but angry, this is going to be the fight for our lives," he said.

"I think they want to break the union because by breaking us they can just sell us off to wherever.

"We're all going to stick together, we're going to fight this, and we're going to win."

He added the group have had a good response in Ashford this morning.

"We've got 180 employees and at least 60 to 65 have come out today with banners and whistles.

"We've had great support with people coming past in cars and beeping their horns.

"So much support."

Mr Mulcahy, who has worked for Royal Mail for 29 years says the strike action today is about pay.

"We haven't even got to the point of asking what the pay rise is because Royal Mail won't sit down and talk to us.

"On numerous occasions I've asked to talk and they're just absolutely not interested and they keep banking on that they're going to give us 5.5% on pay which is absolutely misleading.

"To get the 5.5% they want to change our conditions which is getting rid of our allowances, and just totally ripping up our conditions.

"They're saying they'll give us a £500 bonus on achieving the scores, which we do, we're nowhere near that.

The active union member of 12 years added: "The hard-working Ashford postmen are doing 25,000 steps a day and over eight or nine miles a day.

"We're absolutely knackered.

"We are hitting our efficiency but they want more.

"I had a bit of a sleepless night last night.

"We're not getting paid for today. These people could be down the beach but instead they are here fighting for our survival.

"We've got a lot of new people on 30-hour contracts who can't afford the cost of living crisis.

"They're here today, they're going to lose a lot of money so we need everyone to get behind us."

Kent County Councillor Kelly Grehan (Lab) attended this morning's strike action outside the Dartford sorting office in West Hill.

She said: "During the lockdown I relied on the post service and it's no exaggeration to say the post coming was the point of the day I looked forward to, as I ordered things and my friends and I sent things to cheer each other up.

"I certainly won't be turning my back now those days are over. Royal Mail like to plead poverty but it doesn't wash when hundreds of millions of pounds has gone to shareholders since 2021.

"Workers deserve a decent wage, and they deserve to have their conditions honoured."

About 60 workers and supports attended a demonstration outside the depot in Military Road, Canterbury today.

City council Labour leader Dave Wilson said: "After two or three years without a pay rise, workers across the Canterbury district have been offered derisory pay increases which leave them massively worse off in the face of ever-growing inflation.

"They are also seeing managements attempt to reduce their working conditions to little better than gig economy terms."

Royal Mail said it has “well-developed contingency plans” to minimise disruption, focused on getting mail delivery back to normal as quickly as possible after strike action.

The company said that on days when strike action is taking place, it will deliver as many Special Delivery and Tracked24 parcels as possible, prioritising the delivery of Covid test kits and medical prescriptions.

Customers are advised to post items as early as possible in advance of the strike dates, adding that collections will be less frequent on strike days.

A company spokesperson said: “We are losing £1 million a day, and we need to change what we are doing to fix the situation and protect jobs.

“This change is also needed to support the pay package we have offered to CWU grade colleagues, worth up to 5.5%.

“This is the biggest increase we have offered for many years and the CWU have rejected it. This would add around £230 million to Royal Mail’s annual people costs when the business is already loss-making.”

The union will strike next Wednesday, August 31, and the following Thursday and Friday, September 8 and 9.