600 technical workers at the Department of Agriculture are launching industrial action today.
They are in a dispute with management over cost-saving reforms.
The staff, who are represented by the IMPACT trade union, work farm and the food production industry inspectors.
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They want management to expand their duties in line with independent recommendations, instead of paying external contractors.
IMPACT says that management has refused to engage in "meaningful" discussions on this issue.
The industrial action will initially only disrupt the department.
However IMPACT's Bernard Harbor says it could escalate:
