LEADERS of the Irish Nurses Organisation will gather today in Jurys Hotel to discuss strike action over their pay claim.
And hospital consultants are likely to join the nurses this week in a confrontation with the Government over pay and conditions.
The nurses appear to be moving towards the State's first national nursing strike. This could undermine the chances of a new national agreement and leave public sector pay policy under the Programme for Competitiveness and Work in tatters.
The situation is further complicated since today the Cabinet may approve the Buckley report on remuneration for hospital consultants. This would clear the way for negotiations with the Irish Medical Organisation and the Irish Hospital Consultants' Association on a new common contract.
If the Buckley review recommends increases for consultants of £5,000 to £10,000 a year, it will do little to soften the mood at the INO meeting. But the consultants may not consider the increases compensate them for a four year wait.
Fianna Fail's spokeswoman on health, Mrs Maire Geoghegan Quinn, has called on the Minister for Health to meet the nursing unions immediately.