- Gerd-Liv Valla
Gerd-Liv Valla (born
25 January ,1948 inKorgen ,Nordland ) was the leader of theNorwegian 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 inHemnes municipality, Nordland. Their father was active in theNorwegian Agrarian Association , and her brotherNils Valla would become a national leader of this organization. Gerd-Liv Valla moved toHemnesberget to compete her primary education, and toMo i Rana for upper secondary school. While living in Mo, she competed forMo IL in middle distance running and set a Northern Norwegian record in the800 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 onBislett 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 insocial anthropology andpublic law . She graduated ascand.polit. from theUniversity of Oslo in 1977, and tookpaedagogical seminary in 1979. She headed theNorwegian 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 union s and as first consultant and office leader at theResearch Council of Norway , as well aslector at Eik Teacher Academy inTønsberg .In 1997 she was appointed Minister of Justice and the Police in the
cabinet Jagland , replacingAnne Holt who left. Valla lost this job in late 1997, when the cabinet Jagland lost the election and was replaced by thefirst 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 Norwegianlabor 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
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