Hospital consultants belonging to the Irish Medical Organisation say they are prepared to take industrial action in the New Year in a dispute over two-tier pay affecting those hired since 2012.
Sixty-three per cent of consultant members surveyed by the union said they were prepared to engage in industrial disruption to force the Government to reverse a 30% pay cut imposed on post-2012 recruits.
IMO President Peadar Gilligan warned that unless Minister for Health Simon Harris calls doctors in for talks, the union will call doctors out on industrial action.
He called it unjustifiable and counter-productive pay discrimination.
In October 2012, the Government unilaterally cut the entry pay for new consultants by 30%.
Six years on, some still earn up to €55,000 a year less than their pre-2012 colleagues.
Consultants can now earn substantially more abroad - and the IMO argues that explains why 500 current vacancies remain unfilled.
Minister Harris recently said he would like to see a process to address recruitment and retention of consultants in line with the Public Service Pay Commission report.
It comes as nurses are also balloting for strikes.
