Sweden's ongoing nurses strike has expanded on Monday with further more nurses throughout the country joining those already in the action demanding higher wages.
A total of 7,150 members of the Swedish Association of Healthcare Professionals are now on strike. Two weeks ago about 2,500 went on the strike after negotiations broke down between the Swedish Association of Health professionals and their employers, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions. One week later a further 900 nurses joined the strike.
Before the weekend, the union and their employer made their first contact since the strike began via a moderator. But the two sides reached no agreement on higher wages. So the union called on more nurses to join the strike.
The union has demanded a 14 percent wage increase over two years in the negotiations with the employers, because professions dominated by women typically have lower salaries than those dominated by men, even in egalitarian Sweden.
The employers counter that the nurses have seen salaries rise quicker than other public sector employees since 1995. They fear that giving in to union demands will trigger salary revolts amid other municipal employees.
Hospitals across Sweden have been forced to cancel many non-emergency operations and shut some emergency rooms because of the strike.
Source:Xinhua
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