Sorry, it is simply not supposed to work. `page/work/` is not a standard paginated page. It only works on `/page/gallery/`, the gallery index or album pages.
That's why the link also is wrong as that would be `/page/work/page/<number>` (even them it does not work.
Probably the best and easiest solution for your would be to create a top level album "work" and place all these album within it. Then link directly and you will even get a nicer url like `/work/<album>/` and of course also pagination will work without any further work to be done.