The Forsa trade union is vowing that Carlow and Kilkenny patients will not be affected by an upcoming work-to-rule.
Members working in clerical and administrative roles in the HSE voted with 93% support for industrial action over an HSE decision to halt all recruitment in their area.
The union has hundreds of staff working at St Luke’s Hospital and other hospitals, primary care centres, and HSE offices.
In three weeks’ time, they will do the work of roles that are vacant as a result of the recruitment ban, but National Secretary Ashley Connolly has told KCLR News the effect on patients will be limited:
“The initial work to rule is absolutely being designed to not impact on patients or on service users. We’re acutely aware of the demand on the services and members, our service users and patients and the extensive delays they have in getting access to the services.”