SIPTU says it will campaign against the increases in health charges announced by the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, on Friday.
"Low-paid workers, the poor and sick cannot be expected to carry the cost of the financial difficulties this Government has brought about," Mr Paul Bellof of SIPTU said in a statement.
The increases mean people who have no medical card, or who are not entitled to free medicines under the long-term illness scheme, must from August 1st meet the first €65 per month of the cost of prescribed medicines. The current threshold is €53.33.
The changes also mean that, except for medical card holders and pregnant women, those who attend an A&E department without a letter of referral from a GP will be charged €40 for the first visit instead of the current €31.70.