Pay conditions and career development are the primary reasons why medical scientists have take to the picket line today.
This is according to Kevin O'Boyle, chairman of the Medical Laborotory Scientists Association who is based at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.
He was speaking on this afternoon's Wider View where he highlighted how the issues have remained "unresolved" for more than 20 years.
Mr O'Boyle said there is an acute staffing crisis within the sector throughout the country.
He added that close to one quarter of the positions available in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital cannot be filled.
This, he said is because of the poor pay and conditions, and the lack of career advancement employees are faced with.
The local chairman also says members of the Association - many of whom are from Cavan and Monaghan - tried to avoid taking strike action, in the first instance.
But, he added, those concerns "landed on deaf ears".
"Labs are an integral part of anything that people get done medically," Mr O'Boyle continued.
"If you look at a patient's journey: if they are not well they go to a GP - the GP will take blood tests and send them up to the hospital.
"In an acute situation and patients come to the Emergency Department and they get their bloods done.
"Bloods are required for admission, diagnoisis, treatment, monitoring and for discharge - every aspect of the patients journey requires a medical scientist to help out."
