STOCKHOLM, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Sweden's ongoing nurses strike has expanded on Thursday with more nurses throughout the country joining those already in the action demanding higher wages.

    About 2,500 nurses went on the strike Monday after negotiations broke down between the Swedish Association of Health Professionals and their employers last weekend. A further 900 nurses joined the strike on Thursday and more could go off duty in the beginning of May if a settlement has not been reached with employers, the association said to the local media.

    The association have demanded a 14 percent wage increase over two years in the negotiations with the employers, municipal authorities that run Sweden's public hospitals, 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, and fear that giving in to union demands will trigger salary revolts amid other municipal employees. They have refused to meet union demands.

    Hospitals across Sweden have been forced to cancel dozens of non-emergency operations because of the strike. Some emergency rooms have also been shut, increasing the work load at those that remain open.