An austenitic stainless steel having excellent galling resistance by reason of a silicon-containing surface oxide film and a high work hardening rate, good wear resistance, good corrosion resistance in chloride-containing environmets, and excellent oxidation resistance, containing 10% to 25% chromium, 3% to 15% nickel, 6% to 16% manganese, 2% to 7% silicon, 0.001% to 0.25% carbon, 0.001% to 0.4% nitrogen, and balance iron except for incidental impurities. Up to 4% molybdenum, up to 4% copper, 0.09% maximum phosphorus, up to 0.25% maximum sulfur and up to 0.50% maximum selenium may be present. The steel is readily workable on ordinary equipment into plate, sheet, strip, bar, rod and like wrought products.