Our History
The Health Services Union
The presence of a collective voice for health workers can be dated back to the early 20th century when hospital employees first stood together to represent the needs of wardsmaids, porters, washers, wardsmen, cooks, chambermaids, gardeners and many other health workers in the hospital system.
The HSU in NSW was first registered as an industrial union under the Industrial Arbitration Act of New South Wales, on the 12th October 1911. The union was then known as the Hospital and Asylum Employees’ Union of New South Wales.
The Union has, over the years, had many different names including; the Hospital Employees ’ Association of Australia, Hospitals Asylum and Laboratories Association of Australia and, in 1947, the name was changed to the Hospital Employees’ Association of New South Wales. The Union was known under this name until 1965 when the name was again changed to the Health and Research Employees’ Association of Australia.
On the 1st October 2003 it became the Health Services Union.
"The Health Services Union will strive to grow and develop to promote the industrial, social, and political interests of our members and their communities. We commit to enhancing these interests by continually evolving as an inclusive, innovative, and progressive union of Workers"
- Our vision statement
Read more about our values here.
