Health workers at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda are to engage in a one day strike next Thursday, 3 April in a dispute over staffing numbers.
It is an escalation of industrial action by members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and Fórsa.
As part of the dispute, 80,000 health workers will commence a work-to-rule from Monday 31 March.
Members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) began a work-to-rule yesterday.
Health unions are meeting with Health Service Executive management at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) today but in advance of the talks, the INMO and Fórsa has informed the HSE that it will be escalating the dispute in the form of a work stoppage at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.
Speaking ahead of the WRC meeting this morning, Fórsa's head of Health and Welfare, Ashley Connolly, said the escalation is due to reports from members that they are being instructed by senior management in the Dublin Northeast Region to continue to book agency in all grades and disciplines throughout the period of industrial action that starts next week.
"This instruction demonstrates a complete disregard towards our planned industrial action, and that's why we've served notice this morning to management at Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda," Ms Connolly said.
INMO Director of Industrial Relations, Albert Murphy said: "The INMO, Fórsa, Unite, Connect and the MLSA will attend the conciliation conference facilitated by the WRC in good faith and make the case in respect of current working conditions of our members."
"Due to a complete lack of regard for the safety and wellbeing of healthcare workers in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, our members will be escalating the dispute to include a work stoppage next Thursday, April 3," he added.
Health unions have said that recruitment restrictions and the suppression of posts in the HSE are putting services under enormous strain and are putting patient safety at risk.
The HSE has previously said that the planned industrial action is regrettable against the background of additional funding for the health service and increasing staff numbers.
According to the HSE, funding provided in 2024 and 2025 will allow the HSE to recruit an additional 6,528 staff in 2025 in addition to replacing departing staff.
It has warned that any industrial action would be seriously disruptive to the provision of services and will lead to increased delays and longer waiting lists.
The CEO of the HSE, Bernard Gloster, asked the WRC earlier this week to intervene in this dispute, adding that the SHE was grateful that they have done so.
He said the HSE was are approaching this afternoon's talks with unions at the WRC in a constructive spirit with a view to resolving this dispute in the public interest.
