Printing-press workers gathering on February 8, 1980 formed Kathmandu valley committee of the Independent Press Workers Union of Nepal (IPWUN). On April 25-26, 1980 the committee held the first valley conference in Itumbahal. After this conference, the union started expanding in other parts of Nepal and on February 2, 1991, a gathering of nationwide press workers formed the Central organizing committee of IPWUN.
IPWUN is the first authorized union for workers working in the printing sector. The Union had played a significant role in the People’s movement of 1990. The workers from the printing and publishing industry-related sectors like the printing press, screen printing, computer desktop publishing, xerography, graphic designing, newspaper distribution and similar sectors are members of the Union. IPWUN is affiliated to Global Union Federation- Union Network International (UNI) at international level.