The Communications Workers’ Union says employees at Medtronic's call centre in Cherrywood in Dublin have been told that the facility is to close.
In a statement this evening the company confirmed that after careful consideration, it will be transferring its customer care roles to locations across Europe.
The company said the sales, commercial and finance teams based at Cherrywood are not affected by the move.
CWU Officer Ian McArdle has called on management at the company to engage with workers following yesterday's announcement.
He said the workers are entitled to "immediate, frank and constructive discussions with the company".
Medtronic merged with Covidien earlier this year and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
At the time the Chairman and Chief Executive of the company Omar Ishrak said Ireland "would inevitably be a higher-profile part of the group by virtue of its domicile in the country".
The merged company employs about 4,000 people in Ireland.
Aside from the Medtronic vascular plant in Galway, it has businesses in Athlone, Galway and Tullamore, as well as its European services centre in Dublin.
The company said that the Cherrywood move is part of centralising its business and will improve efficiency and ensure the company remains competitive.
Medtronic said that it is now entering a consultation process with employees who it said are invited to apply for relocation.
