Up to 20 members of staff have picketed the Athlone branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association as hundreds of SIPTU members are striking nationwide today.
The Government has been urged to engage with the IWA Personal Assistants or face further action later in the year.
They're demanding their first pay rise for 14 years, warning that their pay rates are so poor staff are looking for work elsewhere.
Today's industrial action is part of a wider campaign across the care and community sector, which is set to see further strike action in the coming weeks.
Speaking from the picket line today, local staff member John Tynan says they have very simple demands:
"Take us at face value; appreciate who we are and what we do and bring our pay in line with HSE staff.
So yes, there will be more industrial action in times to come and it's sad for us to say that but unfortunately, our government need to be aware that we are taking a stand.
It's important for us to take a stand as hard as it might be and as difficult as it might be, even for ourselves, and especially for our service users, we are left with no other choice."
