A sliding bearing such as a half sliding bearing, a cylindrical bushing and etc. includes a back metal of a three-layer construction composed of a back metal portion of austenitic stainless steel having a thermal expansion coefficient of not less than 15.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree.C., a plated bonding layer formed on the back metal portion, and a plating layer of Cu or a Cu alloy formed on the bonding layer. An alloy layer made of a copper-lead alloy or a lead-bronze alloy is formed on the back metal. With this construction, the alloy layer is positively bonded to the back metal. The austenitic stainless steel is of such a type that the back metal is less subjected to work hardening, and the austenitic stainless steel contains those components which prevent work-inducing martensite transformation.