Tor Halvorsen
Encyclopedia
Tor Halvorsen was a Norwegian
trade unionist and politician for the Labour Party
.
He was born in Skien
. He started his working career in a shoe factory in 1946. In 1952 he was hired as a plumber
in Porsgrunn
. He then head the trade union of Norsk Hydro
at Herøya
from 1961 to 1968. He was a district secretary in Arbeidernes Opplysningsforbund from 1968 to 1969, and then a secretary of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
, a position he held from 1969 to 1973 and 1976 to 1977.
He served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Telemark
during the term 1969–1973. He was a member of Skien city council from 1963 to 1971, and chaired the local Labour Party chapter from 1969 to 1971. In 1973 he was named Minister of the Environment
in Bratteli's Second Cabinet. During a cabinet reshuffle in 1974 he became Minister of Social Affairs, first acting from April, then permanently from September. He replaced the deceased Sonja Ludvigsen, and in August 1974 the newspaper Verdens Gang
wrote, wrongly, that the "only thing which can be said to be certain now, is that the new Minister of Social Affairs will be a woman". Halvorsen sat throughout the time of Bratteli's Second Cabinet, to 1976. In 1977 he became leader of the Confederation of Trade Unions, a position he kept until his death in 1987. At the same time he was a member of the Labour Party central board from 1977 to 1987.
Halvorsen was chairman of Norsk Arbeiderpresse
for some time, and deputy chairman of Rikshospitalet
from 1981 to 1987. He was a board member of Norsk Medisinaldepot
from 1977 to 1987 and 1980 to 1987, of Folketrygdfondet from 1978 to 1987, the Norwegian Industrial Bank
from 1980 to 1981 and Norsk Folkeferie, Strømmens Verksted and Samvirke forsikring. He was a deputy board member of the Norwegian Directorate of Labour from 1971 to 1973 and a deputy member of NTNF from 1972 to 1976.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
trade unionist and politician for the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
.
He was born in Skien
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
. He started his working career in a shoe factory in 1946. In 1952 he was hired as a plumber
Plumber
A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable water, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems. The term dates from ancient times, and is related to the Latin word for lead, "plumbum." A person engaged in fixing metaphorical "leaks" may also be...
in Porsgrunn
Porsgrunn
is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Porsgrunn....
. He then head the trade union of Norsk Hydro
Norsk Hydro
Norsk Hydro ASA is a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, headquartered in Oslo. Hydro is the fourth largest integrated aluminium company worldwide. It has operations in some 40 countries around the world and is active on all continents. The Norwegian state holds a 43.8 percent...
at Herøya
Herøya
Herøya is a peninsula in the municipality of Porsgrunn, Norway. It is located between the fjords of Frierfjord to the west and Gunneklevfjord to the east, at the mouth of Telemarksvassdraget...
from 1961 to 1968. He was a district secretary in Arbeidernes Opplysningsforbund from 1968 to 1969, and then a secretary of the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions is a national trade union center, decidedly the largest and probably the most influential umbrella organization of labour unions in Norway. The 21 national unions affiliated to the LO have more than 850,000 members of a Norwegian population of 4.8 million...
, a position he held from 1969 to 1973 and 1976 to 1977.
He served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Telemark
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
during the term 1969–1973. He was a member of Skien city council from 1963 to 1971, and chaired the local Labour Party chapter from 1969 to 1971. In 1973 he was named Minister of the Environment
Minister of the Environment (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of the Environment is the head of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of the Environment. The Ministry was established in 1972....
in Bratteli's Second Cabinet. During a cabinet reshuffle in 1974 he became Minister of Social Affairs, first acting from April, then permanently from September. He replaced the deceased Sonja Ludvigsen, and in August 1974 the newspaper Verdens Gang
Verdens Gang
Verdens Gang , generally known under the abbreviation VG, is a Norwegian tabloid newspaper...
wrote, wrongly, that the "only thing which can be said to be certain now, is that the new Minister of Social Affairs will be a woman". Halvorsen sat throughout the time of Bratteli's Second Cabinet, to 1976. In 1977 he became leader of the Confederation of Trade Unions, a position he kept until his death in 1987. At the same time he was a member of the Labour Party central board from 1977 to 1987.
Halvorsen was chairman of Norsk Arbeiderpresse
A-pressen
A-pressen is one of the three largest media companies in Norway and was established on May 27, 1948 with the name Norsk Arbeiderpresse . It got its present name in 1994...
for some time, and deputy chairman of Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet is located in Oslo, Norway. From January 1, 2009, the hospital is part of Oslo University Hospital....
from 1981 to 1987. He was a board member of Norsk Medisinaldepot
Norsk Medisinaldepot
Norsk Medisinaldepot AS is a pharmaceutics and healthcare products wholesaler in Norway. It also operates the pharmacy chains Vitusapotek and the franchise chain Ditt Apotek. NMD is part of the Celesio group and has a total of 220 pharmacies in Norway, including the 31 hospital pharmacies...
from 1977 to 1987 and 1980 to 1987, of Folketrygdfondet from 1978 to 1987, the Norwegian Industrial Bank
Norwegian Industrial Bank
The Norwegian Industrial Bank , also known as the Industry Bank, was a Norwegian bank.It had a nationwide mandate as an industrial development bank. It was created in 1936, amid the interwar economic crisis, to supply loans to industry and hotels. The Norwegian state owned about half of the shares....
from 1980 to 1981 and Norsk Folkeferie, Strømmens Verksted and Samvirke forsikring. He was a deputy board member of the Norwegian Directorate of Labour from 1971 to 1973 and a deputy member of NTNF from 1972 to 1976.