The union representing staff at the Qualifications Authority says its members are considering industrial action unless the authority shows a willingness to negotiate pay and conditions.
The Public Service Association is accusing the authority of acting in an underhand manner in trying to remove 42 positions from the collective contract and moving those people onto individual contracts.
The union says some staff have not had a pay increase for several years but the authority is refusing to negotiate.
The 230 union members will consider holding stop work meetings early in the New Year and are not discounting the possibility of other industrial action.
