By Hayley Robinson

A picket outside the Royal Mail delivery office in Chatham ended early this morning after a union representative was rushed to hospital.

Dozens of workers gathered behind the building in New Road from 6am in response to continuing rows over jobs, pay and the modernisation of Royal Mail.

But their efforts were cut short when they received a call just after 8.30am informing them that their area representative for the Communication Workers Union had been taken ill.

The condition of the representative is not currently known.

Postal services have been affected as strikes take place up and down the country.

Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: "Postal workers are striking to defend future services as well as for jobs and modern conditions.

"Modernisation is crucial to the future success of Royal Mail, but the implementation of change must be agreed and it must bring with it modern pay and conditions.

"Postal workers deserve to be rewarded for change. We want to see a new job security agreement which will help people through this time of change for the company.

"CWU is focused on defending jobs and public services. Modernisation should improve services not cut them.

"We believe that Royal Mail management has completely mishandled the current situation. Disruption is hurting small businesses and other consumers, but postal workers are suffering more than anyone in the current dispute. Small businesses stand to suffer more with reduced services in the future, if Royal Mail doesn’t reach a national agreement."

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "The CWU has done its utmost through strike action in Medway to delay the mail and Royal Mail again calls on the union to stop hurting customers and provide the service our customers need and expect.

"Royal Mail is doing everything we can including drafting in management volunteers as well as fully trained and vetted agency staff and drivers, who we sometimes call on during busy periods anyway, to keep mail moving and call upon CWU to call off these damaging strikes which only inconvenience customers and harm our business."