Gerd-Liv Valla

Gerd-Liv Valla (born 25 January, 1948 in Korgen, Nordland) was the leader of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) from 2001, when she took over after former leader, Yngve Hågensen, to 2007, when she resigned. In 1997 she was the Norwegian Minister of Justice.

Early life

Valla grew up on a farm near Bjerka in Hemnes municipality, Nordland. Their father was active in the Norwegian Agrarian Association, and her brother Nils Valla would become a national leader of this organization. Gerd-Liv Valla moved to Hemnesberget to compete her primary education, and to Mo i Rana for upper secondary school. While living in Mo, she competed for Mo IL in middle distance running and set a Northern Norwegian record in the 800 metres.cite news |first=Arne |last=Sellæg |title=Valla-søsken nådde makttoppen |url=http://www.adressa.no/nyheter/okonomi/article525638.ece |work=Nationen |language=Norwegian |date=22 July 2005 |accessdate=2008-06-24 ] The time was 2:18.1 minutes, achieved in June 1968 on Bislett stadion. [ [http://www.friidrett.no/friidrett/statistikk/at/sen/K800.htm Norwegian all-time list, women's 800 metres] - Norwegian Athletics Association]

Education and professional life

Valle has a major degree in political science, with minors in social anthropology and public law. She graduated as cand.polit. from the University of Oslo in 1977, and took paedagogical seminary in 1979. She headed the Norwegian Student Union 1974–75.

For seven years she was married to historian Harald Berntsen. Together they have a daughter.

She has worked both in the trade unions and as first consultant and office leader at the Research Council of Norway, as well as lector at Eik Teacher Academy in Tønsberg.

In 1997 she was appointed Minister of Justice and the Police in the cabinet Jagland, replacing Anne Holt who left. Valla lost this job in late 1997, when the cabinet Jagland lost the election and was replaced by the first cabinet Bondevik.

Controversy

In January 2007 Valla was accused of having an authoritarian leading style and harassing by Ingunn Yssen, a former deputy. This sparked enormous media-interest in Valla, and generated heated debate over her future as leader of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions. [cite news |first=Solrun |last=Dregelid |coauthors=Lars Magne Sunnanå, Jonathan Tisdall |title=LO faces inquiry |url=http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1607577.ece |work=Aftenposten |date=18 January 2007 |accessdate=2008-06-24 ] On 9 March, under massive pressure, she announced her resignation after a controversial external inquiry found that she and LO had violated several Norwegian labor laws. [cite news |first=Jonathan |last=Tisdall |title=Valla steps down |url=http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1681892.ece |work=Aftenposten |date=9 March 2007 |accessdate=2008-06-24 ]

References

*stortingetbio|GLV