The Health Service Executive has said there will be no involuntary redundancies in the changeover to the new health system on 1 January.
HSE chairman Kevin Kelly said health staff would not be forced to move unless there was agreement.
Mr Kelly was responding to the decision of the IMPACT trade union to direct its 25,000 health sector members not to co-operate with the HSE briefing meetings this week on health reform.
IMPACT National Secretary Kevin Callinan said the union took the decision last Friday because of a lack of confidence in the way the health reform programme was being managed.
He said there was no confidence among managers and no real consultation about changes.
In relation to the decision by Professor Aidan Halligan not to take up the post of Chief Executive of the HSE, Mr Kelly said it was genuinely due to family concerns.
It was confirmed earlier today that Professor Halligan has decided to remain as the Deputy Chief Medical Officer in the UK.
In September, he was named as the new head of the HSE with a salary of over €400,000. He was due to take up his post next April.
However, following a request from the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, he had agreed to start at the end of January after concern was voiced over the pace of the health reforms.
Professor Halligan did not sign a contract for the HSE post and it is to be advertised on the same terms.
Halligan decision 'a pity': Ahern
The Taoiseach has said it is 'a pity' that Professor Halligan will not be taking up his post.
However, Bertie Ahern insisted the decision would not lead to delays in the Government reforms of the health service, nor in the legislation to establish the executive.
He said interviews for the next layer of management would continue and that a new chief executive would have to be found.
The Tánaiste, Mary Harney, said she regretted but accepted Professor Halligan's decision.
The legislation on the new Health Service Executive is due to be published on Thursday.
Labour slams Govt on health reforms
The Labour Party has claimed the Government's health service reform programme is in a shambles and bordering on the farcical.
Liz McManus, TD, said the Health Service Executive was due to take over the running of the health service on 1 January, but the legislation has not yet been published, and there are only five Dáil sitting weeks left before Christmas.
