The Medical Laboratory Scientists Association has voted to take industrial action if a pay dispute which has been running since 2002 is not resolved.
The union say any strike action they take would have a big impact on the country's Covid-19 testing capabilities.
It comes as HSE CEO Paul Reid has announced the country's Covid-19 testing capacity has increased to 120,000 a week.
General secretary with the medical scientists union, Terry Casey says industrial action would be a last resort.
"We would of course ensure the full emergency cover would be provided in the event that we did engage in industrial action, but obviously any industrial action by medical scientists would have a significant impact of the testing capacity.
"We just want to ensure that doesn't come to pass and that we are not forced into a situation where that is necessary."
In a statement released by Medical Laboratory Scientists Association (MLSA), Chairperson, Kevin O’Boyle said the pay disparity between medical scientists and other laboratory scientists must be addressed without delay and prior to the next national pay talks.
“Public Sector health workers from Nurses, Consultants to Lab Aides have secured significant pay increases in recent years. For Medical Scientists this, combined with the advancing role of lab diagnostics, increased responsibility, increased workloads and long-standing challenges in recruitment and retention, urgently require pay issues to be addressed.”
