Talks aimed at averting a strike by staff at six psychiatric and geriatric hospitals will begin today.
Trade union leaders are due to meet health service chiefs at the Labour Court in Dublin later this morning.
Ward attendants, who carry out basic medical duties such as changing dressings at the hospitals, have accused health bosses of reneging on a promise to increase their pay by 8 per cent.
Non-nursing staff, such as porters and caterers, at the six Dublin hospitals - St Mary's, St Ita's, Bru Chaoimhin, Clonskeagh, St Brendan's and St Colmcille's - may also join a walkout in support of the attendants unless the pay rise is given.
SIPTU said staff at five other hospitals had been paid the award following a Labour Court decision in July last year.
But the Health Services Employers' Agency said the benchmarking programme had addressed the ward-attendants' grievances.
Ward attendants at the six hospitals held a 24-hour stoppage recently. A ballot of non-nursing staff was called off on Friday when the head of the Labour Court, Mr Finbar Flood, invited both sides for talks.
PA