15,000 healthboard workers may strike over health system overhaul

UP TO 15,000 health board workers are threatening not to co-operate with the Government's plan to overhaul the ailing system.

Impact, the trade union representing the staff, says it is likely it will refuse to co-operate with the Government. The union's executive meets today to decide tactics. The way has been cleared for industrial action, up to, and including, strike action, without the need for further ballots.

It is likely the union will initially decide not to co-operate with the proposed administrative changes that will see health boards and other agencies replaced by the new Health Service Executive (HSE) in January.