Members of the Australian Paramedics Association NSW will decide this weekend what industrial action to take after the State government failed to meet their Thursday deadline for discussions on waiving the $80 checks.

Alan Murphy, a Lower Hunter paramedic for 20 years and the region’s union delegate, said paramedics had “had enough”. 

“There’s not a paramedic on the road that objects to having a WWCC – but we reject paramedics having to pay the cost themselves,” he said.

Mr Murphy said the proposed industrial action came as frustrations within the workforce reach boiling point. 

He said the erosion of death and disability coverage, the difficulty of securing insurance as a paramedic, and increasing violence and abuse from patients were additional reasons why the proposed fee had triggered an outpouring of anger. 

“We’re sick of being belted day after day – 12 hour shifts with no toilet or meal breaks, being spat on, hit and verbally abused every day,” he said.  

“Being a paramedic now is more dangerous than ever. 

“On top of that they want us to pay $80 to a State government organisation. We’ve had enough.”

Health minister Brad Hazzard was unavailable for comment, but his office said the fee would not be waived.

A spokesperson said the $80 fee covered paramedics for five years, equating to four cents a day, and is fully tax deductible. 

In 2015 the full bench of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission threw out a Unions NSW application for the fee to be reimbursed to public sector employees. 

NSW Police and volunteers don’t have to pay for the check, although teachers and childcare workers do. 

Mr Hazzard’s office stated the check would bring paramedics in line with all other public sector workers including nurses, bus drivers, and doctors.

Mr Murphy said any industrial action discussed this weekend wouldn’t involve stopping work. 

“We want to ensure people know there will still be paramedics working,” he said. 

April 1 is the government’s deadline for paramedics to have the paperwork.