Andrea Súsanna Árting née Rasmussen (1891–1988) was a Faroese politician and

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

leader. A supporter of self-government, she is remembered as one of the most active figures in the

labour movement The labour movement is the collective organisation of working people to further their shared political and economic interests. It consists of the trade union or labour union movement, as well as political parties of labour. It can be considere ...

, heading the ''Havnar Arbejðskvinnufelag'' (

Tórshavn Tórshavn (; ; Danish language, Danish: ''Thorshavn''), usually locally referred to as simply Havn, is the capital and largest city of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the northwest of th ...

Working Women's Association) for almost 40 years.

Biography

Born out of marriage on 23 December 1891 in Tórshavn, Andrea Súsanna Rasmussen was the daughter of Jacob Johansen and Susanne Rasmussen. She was brought up by her maternal aunt and uncle, Kathrine Malene Rasmussen and Elias Johansen, in the Rættará district of the capital. Johansen was a boat builder who had been active in politics. After finishing school, Árting worked in dried fish production and in a fish shop. When 17, she caught

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

and spent a couple of years in a sanatorium. She then went to Denmark where she worked as a maid for six years. In 1922, she married the fisherman Johannes Frederik (Heinesen) Árting, with whom she had four children. In 1937, Árting was elected chair of the Tórshavn Working Women's Association which had been founded the previous year. Most of the members were women working in the fishing industry who found it difficult to take on responsibilities in the organization as they would have to take time off work. As a local resident, Árting could afford to be more independent and was not afraid to appear in public. She was therefore able to lead the organization with only short interruptions until 1977. She was also a board member of the ''Føroya Arbeiðarafelag'' (Faroese Workers' Association) from 1940 to 1958, thereafter becoming a lifelong honorary member. Árting was an effective leader, fighting for better pay for the workers who earned far less than fishermen, especially in the 1950s. She took part in many critical negotiations, participating in a strike in 1951 which was successful in avoiding a threatened reduction in workers' salaries. In her later years, she also fought for equal salaries for men and women, obtaining success in 1977 when it was agreed that women's hourly pay should be increased incrementally year by year until reaching that of men in 1981. On the political front, Árting was also active in pushing for Faroese national independence. Though not successful, in 1940 she was one of the first women to stand for the elections to the

Løgting The Løgting (pronounced ; ) is the unicameral parliament of the Faroe Islands, an autonomous territory within the Danish Realm. The name literally means "''Law Thing''"—that is, a law assembly—and derives from Old Norse ''lǫgþing ...

, representing the ''Loysingarflokkurin'' or Separatist Party. With the founding of the ''Tjóðveldisflokkurin'' Republican Party in 1948, she became one of its most faithful supporters.

Outside interests

From her childhood, Árting was interested in music, learning to play various instruments. She wrote poems and songs, often supporting better conditions for the workers. She also encouraged women in the rowing sport known as ''kaproning'' which had traditionally been reserved for men. More generally, she inspired women to enter public life, believing them to be just as capable as men, as she herself had demonstrated.

Death

Andrea Árting died in Tórshavn on 30 May 1988.

References

External links

Kendir føroyingar: Andrea Árting
from KVF, in Faroese with photograph and video {{DEFAULTSORT:Arting, Andrea 1891 births 1988 deaths Faroese politicians Faroese women in politics Faroese trade unionists Women trade unionists People from Tórshavn Faroese women's rights activists