Staff unions have accused the University of Cambridge of failing to meet contractual obligations for redundancy consultations at the MRC Epidemiology Unit, a department of the University’s School of Clinical Medicine.

University and College Union (UCU), Unite, and Unison say 62 staff members are at risk of redundancy at the research unit, following the decision of the Medical Research Council (MRC) to cut previous funding networks for its special research units.

They claim the University’s consultation process with staff affected has been fraught with errors, meaning the process “falls short of legal duties”. The motion comes after unions sent two internal letters to the University, with one receiving 71 signatures from staff.

Vice-President of Cambridge UCU, Michael Abberton, said: “Staff deserve a lawful, transparent and genuine consultation process. Last-minute documents, incorrect information and numerous unanswered questions make that impossible, all highlighting that statutory requirements have not been met. The University must put this right, before it is too late.”

The alleged deficiencies include releasing essential documents late and incomplete, not providing sufficient transparency around its financial situation, and lacking a voluntary redundancy scheme for staff. They assert the late release of multiple key documents left it too late for some staff members to hold individual consultation meetings within the larger consultation process.

Unions call for the consultation to be extended to correct these failures.

A spokesperson for the University of Cambridge said: “The ending of the Medical Research Council’s unit funding model has left the University in a very difficult position.

“The University cannot absorb all of the costs that are currently met by the MRC’s direct unit funding, which include staff salaries, as well as buildings and facilities expenditure.

“We continue to work hard to support those staff members affected, and recognise that this is a very difficult time for those at risk of redundancy. We wish to reassure staff that we are complying with the relevant policies and procedures and statutory requirements, and, wherever possible, best practice.”

The current accusations follow previous concerns earlier this year about the future of the Medical Research Council’s specialist research units after its decision to cut funding, which will come into effect from March next year. In January this year, 153 Cambridge academics and researchers put their name to an open letter with 608 signatories urging the government to save the research units affected.

The Epidemiology Unit is located by Addenbrooke’s, within the University’s School of Clinical Medicine – it is one of six MRC Units at the University which will suffer from the funding cuts.

Funding for special research units will be replaced with a new system for “Centres of Research Excellence” (CREs) which it is claimed will not meet previous funding levels.

Previously, in June last year, the University Council concluded stated that the funding cuts meant “it would be very difficult to perpetuate the Units in their current form”.

Previous funding will end in March 2026, and be replaced by a new funding system for “Centres of Research Excellence” (CREs) which the University states will not meet previous funding levels.

Unions say they are preparing plans for further escalation should the University fail to meet their requests.

A spokesperson at the University of Cambridge continued: “Researchers in the Unit are seeking alternative sources of funding so that as much of the outstanding research as possible can continue in the Institute of Metabolic Science Epidemiology Division within the Department of Clinical Biochemistry.”