The Swedish Nurses' Union, Vårdförbundet, has initiated an overtime ban affecting 63,000 healthcare workers, including nurses and midwives, to push for improved working conditions, such as shorter workweeks and better provisions for full-time work.

The action comes in response to a crisis in the healthcare sector, where a significant portion of young professionals find the workload unbearable, with many considering leaving the profession.

This overtime work amounts to the equivalent of 2,000 full-time positions annually, highlighting the severe understaffing issue.

Amidst this backdrop, the appointment of Göran Hägglund, a former healthcare minister with ties to private healthcare companies, to oversee the dispute has sparked controversy, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.