Thousands of health workers are likely to take industrial action from next week over the introduction of new structures in the health sector.
Members of the IMPACT trade union, which represents over 25,000 health workers, will stop co-operating with preparations for health service reforms from Monday.
A meeting of the union's Health Division Executive today considered new proposals from health employers, but the union said the proposals fell short of what was needed to avoid the dispute.
The unions says it is not opposed to the reforms but wants safeguards over service continuity, jobs, and working conditions when new health structures come into force on the 1st of January.
In a letter to the Health Service Employers Agency this afternoon, IMPACT National Secretary Kevin Callinan said health staff needed more detailed safeguards before the action could be called off.