Officials from the IMPACT union are due to resume talks with the Western Health Board in Galway this afternoon over the 169 proposed job cuts in the board.
Yesterday, IMPACT's health executive committee met in Dublin to consider its reaction to the Government's instruction to health boards not to fill 800 posts.
IMPACT said its members will not provide cover for unfilled jobs.
The union claimed the Government regards clerical and administrative staff as soft targets for cuts. Most of the 25,000 workers it represents in the health services are in the clerical and administrative area.
Yesterday, 35 ward clerks, who are members of SIPTU, voted to begin industrial action at University College Hospital Galway (UCHG) from next week. The action will take the form of a "staggered " work-to-rule.
From next Monday afternoon, the ward clerks will refuse to answer phones at UCHG. From Monday week, a second duty will be added to the work-to-rule.