As they ramp up their campaign against cuts to their death and disability benefits, union members have created a visual reminder of their plight and scrawled images on their ambulances in protest.

Local paramedics are calling on parity to police officers who are offered a rehabilitation period of seven years instead of the two years which came into effect in August.

However the chance meeting with the health minister was not to be with her flight from Sydney cancelled on Wednesday morning.

“We were going to set her aside after her meeting with ED (the emergency department) and ask her why we are not being recognised in parity with the police and we only worth 25 per cent,” Brian Bridges HSU New England ambulance subbranch secretary said.

“We are front line emergency services, and face the same issues as police in terms of potential life threatening injuries.”

Mr Bridges said the paramedics would not stop their campaign and if anything it was only gaining momentum.

“We have met with Kevin Anderson who has pledged his support for us in terms of getting the best deal, he has spoken to Ms Skinner and we are waiting on some solution to that meeting to have an understanding of what the Government intends to do,” he said.

In a statement to The Leader on Wednesday, Ms Skinner said she would meet with union officials in Sydney this month.

“I will meet with Health Services Union  and Australian Paramedics Association NSW representatives in Sydney this month to discuss the new Death and Income Protection Award,” she said.

“The NSW Industrial Relations Commission determined the Ambulance Death and Income Protection Benefits Interim (State) Award in May.

“The award provides new income protection benefits to sick and injured paramedics, who received nothing under the old scheme, and maintains death benefits for NSW paramedics.

“The award has a 12 month term.

“As an interim award, there are measures for its review in the IRC in 12 months.”