Report: Strike likely for Swedish nurses

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, April 20 (UPI) -- Swedish nurses protested Sunday amid deadlocked contract negotiations, making a nationwide strike likely, officials said.

The Swedish Association of Healthcare Professionals said its last attempt to reach an agreement with the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions ended in a deadlock Saturday, the Swedish News Agency TT reported Sunday.

"This means that everything indicates that a strike will break out on Monday," spokesperson Claes Bertilson said.

About 1,000 medical workers marched through Gothenburg to reinforce their united stance before the likely strike.

"We are ready for conflict but it is clear that something is wrong when one has to go out on strike," one nurse told the news agency.

A total of 3,500 nurses are poised to strike Monday if an agreement is not reached, TT said.