Paramedics and other health workers have walked off the job at some NSW hospitals as they escalate a push for a pay rise.

Health Services Union ward workers, security, cleaning, allied health, administration staff, radiographers and paramedics walked off the job on Wednesday at Sydney’s Westmead and Blacktown hospitals at midday to attend stop work meetings.

Staff at Nepean Hospital stopped work from 2pm while those at John Hunter Hospital and Morrisett Hospital walked off from 10am. Staff at other hospitals also imposed work bans.

The union wants a 6.5 per cent wage increase and an end to the state government’s 3 per cent public sector wages cap – a key promise of Labor’s election campaign.

Union boss Gerard Hayes said he was disappointed with the lack of action on wages from the two-month old Labor government, amid the rising cost of living, saying there had been “a lot of talk and not a lot of action”.

Premier Chris Minns dismissed questions from the opposition about the action during question time in parliament on Wednesday, saying it seemed to be asking ‘why haven’t you fixed our mess already?’.

But opposition health spokesman Matt Kean accused Mr Minns of broken promises, saying his government “was elected on a lie, they made promises which they had no intention of delivering”.

The government on Tuesday introduced legislation to freeze the salaries of MPs and executives for two years to enable it to redirect millions of dollars in savings to nurses, paramedics, teachers and other frontline workers.

Asked to clarify whether all the savings would be directed to frontline workers, Premier Chris Minns said he would have more to say in coming days.

“I would fully anticipate that the savings made will go to boosting and ensuring and retaining essential services workers in the state,” he said.

The HSU said real incomes had shrunk as inflation runs at near 7 per cent, rents have surged between 10 and 25 per cent, while mortgage interest rates have almost tripled.

Stagnant wages were contributing to an attraction and retention crisis in the health sector with 12,000 vacancies in NSW Health.

“Workers are fleeing to Queensland, ACT and Victoria because the pay is significantly better and housing is cheaper,” the union said in a statement.

– AAP