Black nurses in the UK are “doubly affected” by stagnant wages and spiralling living costs because of the pay discrimination they face at work, a campaign group has warned.
Some Black nurses told openDemocracy that they have been forced to take on second jobs to make ends meet and that food bank usage is rife among their colleagues.
Nurses in England have taken a real-terms pay cut of more than 10% since 2010, as wages have failed to keep pace with inflation. Neomi Bennett, the founder of campaign group Equality 4 Black Nurses, said poor pay is “compounded” by racial discrimination, which means Black nurses are less likely to be promoted than white colleagues.
