Around 900 clerical and staff officers at local offices in the Department of Agriculture commenced industrial action this morning.
The staff are refusing to use phones or fax machines for a week as part of a dispute about the promotional structure in local offices of the Department.
An official, Mr Kevin Gaughran, from Civil and Public Service Union (CPSU) told ireland.comthe dispute predates the foot and mouth crisis of 2001 and added that staff had postponed planned industrial action during that time.
He said that in other parts of the civil service clerical officers have a one in eight chance of promotion to the grade of staff officer, but the figure in the Department of Agriculture is closer to one in 13.
Mr Gaughran added that if no progress was made this week in addressing CPSU members grievances, then, staff would withdraw over-the-counter services in the afternoon's next week.
The Government's cap on staffing levels in the public service has heightened fears that the situation in the Department of Agriculture will get worse.