Government policy contradictions highlight lack of joined-up thinking, says UCU president

In her opening address to the three-day conference, Linda Newman praised UCU's record of women at the top and listed the recent further education strike and rally over pay as the proudest moment of her year-long presidency.

Linda Newman said: 'I am saddened to have had to continue UCU's tradition of drawing attention to the inconsistency in government policies towards further and higher education during my time as president.

'Calls for community cohesion on the one hand. Reductions in access to free English language courses on the other; exhortations to retrain and re-skill later in life from one department. Cuts in ELQ funding from another. And the defence of academic freedom by ministers alongside arrests of academics and students for downloading the wrong books. On each, while UCU has won the argument, the battle still continues.'

Addressing delegates at the start of the three-day conference, Linda praised general secretary, Sally Hunt, and spoke how proud she was that two women had been at the helm of the union in its first full year: "As a woman trade unionist I hope new women activists are encouraged in a union that not only has a female president and president elect, but a female general secretary too.

'I have been proud to share a platform with Sally on many occasions this year. I have learnt from her advice and experience and I thank her for her support. She is a dedicated trade unionist, always prepared to lead from the front.'

Linda said that the recent further education strike over pay was the proudest moment of her presidency: 'It is further education members of UCU that I have to thank for providing the proudest moments of my presidency. The memory and euphoria of the united action on 24 April would be the ultimate highlight of any presidential year.

'Even the rain could not dampen the spirits or determination of members that day. Marching at the head of 6,500 school and further education teachers through the streets of London is the stuff of real memories.'

• UCU president, Linda Newman, speech to Congress 2008 [33kb]