Saskatchewan health-care workers are one step closer to a strike after talks between union leaders and management broke off early Thursday evening.

The negotiations ended after a conciliator said the union, the Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan, and the management group, the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations, were too far apart to reach a deal.

Union president Chris Driol said workers have no choice but to take job action. Union leaders will meet Friday morning to decide what kind of action to take and when to begin.

The union, representing 2,700 workers, gave strike notice on Monday and said job action would begin as early as 1 p.m. CST Thursday.

But conciliation talks continued until about 6 p.m. CST Thursday.

Hospitals across Saskatchewan have been closing beds and cancelling surgeries in preparation for a possible strike.

A patient was flown from Saskatchewan to the United States on Thursday in anticipation of possible job action.

The Health Department said the patient had been in critical condition in intensive care at a Regina hospital.

The Regina Qu'Appelle health district has identified 10 more people who would be transported out if a strike occurs, or sooner, if their condition deteriorates.

With files from the Canadian Press