Nurse staffing levels in the theatres at Mullingar General Hospital will be the subject of talks at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) this morning.
Meanwhile nurses have balloted, or are in the course of balloting, for industrial action in Carlow and in Cashel, Co Tipperary.
INO members in Mullingar started a work-to-rule at the hospital there yesterday morning over the level of nurse staffing in the operating theatres. In particular, nurses there complained that there were only two nurses present instead of three during emergency work.
The work-to-rule consists of not cleaning or sterilising equipment so that this work must be done by other staff or fresh equipment used.
The Midland Health Board said yesterday it had arranged for talks on the issue at the LRC this morning.
The INO said it had received an assurance there would be three nurses on duty last night and that it would attend this morning's talks.
INO members at Our Lady's Hospital, Cashel, will ballot this week for industrial action over staffing levels. The same issue has resulted in a vote in favour of strike action at the Sacred Heart Hospital for long-stay patients in Carlow, where talks are under way between the INO and management.
Ward attendants in SIPTU have called off industrial action affecting psychiatric and long-stay hospitals in Dublin and St Colmcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown.
A SIPTU official, Mr Raymond O'Reilly, said his members had received an assurance at the Labour Court that an 8 per cent pay claim dating back to 2000 would be on the agenda at a separate benchmarking process.