Some 28,000 members of the trade union Impact who work in the health sector are to escalate their current work-to-rule from Monday.
The union has instructed its members not to co-operate with Health Service Executive (HSE) corporate management by attending meetings or providing details on issues such as employment levels, budgetary developments and monthly activity statistics.
Impact says that this action will enable members to focus the current dispute on to the HSE at a corporate level and minimise the effect of the action on patients.
Members of the union also intend to stage a lunchtime protest against cutbacks in the health services next Wednesday.
"Our members gave Impact a mandate for various forms of industrial action up to and including full scale strike action. This is the next step in this campaign, and we believe it is appropriate as it has a minimal effect on services. In addition, this action effectively starves the HSE of the information it uses to make cuts in services," said Kevin Callinan, the union's national secretary for health & welfare.
Since May, Impact members have refused to cover posts left vacant by the HSE's recruitment freeze. The health workers have also stopped co-operation with HSE advisors, blocked non-emergency overtime and out-of-hours work, and have halted co-operation with the HSE's transformation programme.
The health staff, who include professionals and therapists, social care workers, administrative and managerial staff, and others are protesting at the recruitment freeze, which has so far left 2,700 vital jobs unfilled.
The union says this is hurting existing services and preventing the implementation of promised improvements in areas like primary care, disability services, mental health services and care for older people.
The HSE has warned that staff taking part inindustrial action could face disciplinary procedures including possible suspension.
