The Garment and Allied Workers' Union of South Africa (GAWU) was a trade union representing clothing workers in South Africa.
It initially had 102,000 members, the large majority in Natal, but also with some strength in Western Cape.
[1][2] Under the leadership of Desmond Sampson, the union took more radical positions than either of its forerunners.
It engaged in major strikes during 1988, and during the year, it also absorbed the South African Textile and Allied Workers' Union.
On 16 September 1989, it completed a merger with ACTWUSA, to form the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union.