A local contingent of health workers braved the rain for two-hour stop work in front of the Orange Health Service on Wednesday as part of a statewide Health Services Union strike.
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The union, which includes ambulance, cleaning, aged care, pathology and disability care workers, is campaigning for a 5.5 per cent pay rise to account for the impact of the pandemic, and the surging cost of living.
Under the NSW wages cap, public sector pay increases can not legally exceed 2.5 per cent.
"The government's very happy to praise us for the work we've done over the pandemic, but in terms of our pay, we haven't really been respected," said secretary of the PAICT Professional Allied Health Interpreters Community Technical sub-branch Peter Young.
"Our pay rise over the past two years totals 2.34 per cent. CPI is already well above 3 percent, so for all our hard work over the pandemic we've essentially been given a pay cut and the state government won't even come to the table to talk about it."
The stoppage followed action last week by the Nurses and Midwives Association over staff shortages.
Mr Young said essential services continued to be provided during the two-hour stop work.
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