Almost everyday someone working at Albury Wodonga Health is verbally abused or spat on, the Health Service Union says, with violent or aggressive outbursts happening about once a week.
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Albury union sub-branch president Carl Prentice said across the state, hospital staff are facing more and more violence.
A small number of Albury Wodonga Health stopped work for an hour on Thursday, to join in statewide industrial action.
Mr Prentice said not everyone who wanted to was able to attend because of the nature of hospital work. He said it was the first time HSU had taken industrial action in 107 years, which showed the importance of workplace safety.
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He said workplace violence takes a serious toll, no matter where you work.
"I've been spat on, I've been verbally abused, I've been intimidated but it seems to be it's becoming so commonplace it's part of the job, but it's not part of anyone's job," he said.
Mr Prentice said the NSW government needs to better fund hospitals and ensure security staff have the powers necessary to intervene.
"The situation is getting worse, practices haven't been keeping up with the times," he said. "Support your hospitals, support your staff, give them a safe happy working environment... we need more money spent on hospitals."
Mr Prentice said there had not been any major incidents in Albury recently but violence and aggression, especially by drug-affected patients were too common.
When asked about CCTV monitoring in Nolan House, he said the protest was unrelated and organised by HSU to protest statewide security issues.
AWH did not comment.
Digital journalists with The Border Mail.
Digital journalists with The Border Mail.
