Eleven operation,s scheduled to be carried out today and tomorrow at Kerry General Hospital, have been postponed because of a dispute between the HSE and electricians over work practice changes.
One of the issues in dispute is who is allowed to change light bulbs at the hospitals affected.
Most of the 38 electricians involved in the dispute have now been suspended.
Other electricians are expected to be removed from the pay-roll later today if they continue to refuse to answer pagers or take instructions in writing and by phone.
Hospitals in Cork, Kerry, Waterford, South Tipperary, Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford are affected by the dispute.
This dispute, which dates back to 2001, centres on work practice changes that the HSE wants to implement.
The dispute has become deadlocked over who would be allowed change light bulbs in the hospitals and care facilities.
Electricians argued that this was exclusively their work, while the HSE argued that this would considerably add to its costs.
Two weeks ago the HSE stopped paying on-call allowances to the electricians involved in the dispute.
Yesterday the electricians responded by insisting that they would only take instruction from their immediate maintenance supervisors.
The HSE also claims that electricians at Kerry General Hospital in Tralee and at Mallow General Hospital have refused to provide emergency, 'life and death' cover.
The HSE says its services have not been affected but it is warning that services will be compromised if the dispute continues.
The electricians' union, the TEEU, has condemned the suspension of its members and says it is available for talks.
