Independent Health and Allied Workers Union

Defending the rights, dignity, and power of healthcare and social development workers. From hospital wards to community clinics, from social workers to support staff — we are united, militant, and worker-controlled. Join the movement that puts workers first.

Vision

A united, militant and democratic front of healthcare and allied workers, fearlessly defending the dignity, rights and wellbeing of those who serve at the heart of our health and social development department.

Mission

To organise, mobilise and conscientise healthcare and allied workers — including employees within the Department of Social Development — into a radical, worker-controlled union.

Member Active

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Who we are

A worker-led union defending the dignity, rights, and power of healthcare and social development workers.

The Independent Health and Allied Workers Union (IHAWU) is a progressive, militant, and democratic trade union led by and for workers in the health and social development sectors. We are the collective voice of frontline professionals and support staff — from nurses, cleaners, and community health workers to social workers, administrators, and EPWP participants.

Rooted in the lived realities of working-class life, IHAWU was formed to fight exploitation, defend dignity, and build worker power in a system that often devalues those who care for and uplift others. Our name, IHAWU — meaning “shield” in Nguni languages — speaks to our mission: to protect, organise, and empower those who serve society’s most critical needs.

We are not aligned with employers or neutral forces.
We are proudly on the side of the worker — essential, valuable, and united.
We are the Shield of Life Savers.

Services Offered

Services Offered to Members

IHAWU delivers meaningful, hands-on support to its members, both in and outside the workplace