Copenhagen- Danish nurses and other health care workers are set to strike next week after statae-mediated wage talks failed, it was announced early Saturday.

Some 70,000 care workers including nurses, midwives and laboratory personnel organized in 11 unions in the Health Confederation were impacted by the late Friday decision.

The strike was slated to begin on Wednesday, but would not affect emergency services or crucial operations and treatments.

Mediator Mette Christensen told news agency Ritzau said she had tried but failed to find a compromise, adding that the "talks collapsed."

The unions were demanding a 15-per-cent pay rise for the coming three-year period while the employers offered 12.8 per cent.

"We want the same pay as private sector employees with the same education have," Connie Kruckow, leader of the Health Confederation, said. (dpa)