SIPTU has called on the Minister for Health, Mr Noonan, to intervene to avert serious disruption if a strike of 600 members of the emergency ambulance service takes place on Monday.
It was confirmed yesterday by the Health Service Employers Agency that arrangements are being made to utilise Army ambulances for emergencies should the strike go ahead.
A spokesman said the agency had tried to get agreement on contingency arrangements from the unions last week, but had not been successful.
There were no indications yesterday of the Labour Court or the Labour Relations Commission stepping in to resolve the dispute.
Provincial ambulance personnel are looking for parity with their Dublin colleagues, while the Dublin members want parity with controllers.
Calling on Mr Noonan to intervene, Mr Brendan Hayes, SIPTU regional secretary, accused the employers of failing to put forward realistic proposals for emergency cover last Friday when the sides met.
"It is difficult to resist the feeling that the management's proposals were not serious or designed to address the issue, but were no more than a cynical attempt to wrong-foot the unions with the public concerning the provision of emergency cover.
He said this lack of seriousness had characterised the manner in which the issue of ambulance personnel's claims had been treated over the last number of years.
The union said it was willing to discuss an agreement on emergency cover provided the HSEA gave it a serious set of proposals and assurances that sufficient procedures would be put in place to ensure that there was no abuse of such arrangements.