Junior doctors at Tralee General Hospital have voted to take industrial action over what they claim are unilateral changes to their working conditions and terms.
The doctors say the changes being implemented by hospital management will affect their access to training and continuity of patient care. They also claim they were not consulted.
The nature and timing of the industrial action are to be decided later, according to Dr Neville Shine, the IMO representative at the hospital.
Some 38 out of 39 doctors voted for industrial action at yesterday's ballot.
"We just want the status quo to be retained until there is agreement at national level," Dr Shine said.
Doctors were "all very angry", Dr Shine added, at attempts to implement changes before there was agreement at national level between the IMO and the HSEA (Health Service Employers' Agency) and while these discussions were taking place nationally.
Mr Paddy Madden, programme manager for Tralee General Hospital, last night said the industrial action was "unnecessary".
"The NCHDs [non-consultant hospital doctors or junior doctors\] are working four hours fewer a week. This means they are less tired, less worked and there is more time for research and training. Three new NCHDs have gone into the hospital. It's a win-win situation," Mr Madden said.
The changes being implemented were in accordance with the EU working time directive being introduced all over Europe, which were set to reduce working hours for NCHDs.
"The very basis of the directive is to reduce hours by 2010 to a 48-hour working week," a statement from the Southern Health Board said.
There was an obligation nationally on all hospitals to reduce the non-consultant hospital doctors' working hours, it continued.
Meetings are held on an ongoing basis between the NCHD committee in the hospital and management, which is available to meet the NCHDs to address any queries, the health board statement added.