Ambulance crews at one of Ireland's biggest hospitals have gone on unofficial strike over a change in working conditions.
Crews at the 202-bed St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny, which serves Kilkenny and Carlow, responded to 999 calls only in protest over changes in working conditions that they say have been forced on them by the South Eastern Health Board.
The crews say the strike action, which is unofficial, was brought on by a health board decision to privatise runs with non-emergency patients from the region to Dublin.
Up until February 28th, ambulance crews in the region normally brought patients to Dublin for non-emergency services.
SIPTU'S Mr Bill Mulcahy said the action by the crews was done "very reluctantly", adding his members were told of substantial changes to their terms of employment last Tuesday.
The union says the issue of the privatisation of the Dublin runs is not their only cause for complaint. SIPTU says the cut in Dublin runs will impact on working hours and could impact on jobs.
In a statement, the South Eastern Health Board said it was "disappointed and concerned" that the emergency medical technicians represented by SIPTU had taken the industrial action.
The strike action will continue tomorrow.