Barclays is at loggerheads with the trade physique arrange by David Cameron, when prime minister, to champion the British expertise sector over the destiny of dozens of staff affected by its closure.
Sky News has learnt that the financial institution, which has been handed a multimillion-pound authorities grant to advertise the trade, is insisting that it mustn’t should tackle almost 50 of Tech Nation’s workforce beneath so-called TUPE laws, that are designed to guard staff when their organisation is taken over.
In an announcement final month that it could stop operations on the finish of March, Tech Nation stated it had “initiated TUPE discussions with Barclays Bank and have informed [the Department for Culture, Media and Sport]”.
Insiders stated, nonetheless, that Barclays was resisting Tech Nation’s insistence that TUPE guidelines utilized to as much as 48 of its workers.
The not-for-profit trade physique is known to have sought authorized recommendation on the problem, with one supply near the scenario saying on Friday {that a} barrister had confirmed that TUPE utilized.
The closure of Tech Nation despatched shockwaves by the UK tech sector, and prompted an outcry from main buyers and start-up founders.
In an announcement, a Barclays spokesperson stated: “Discussions with Tech Nation are nonetheless ongoing, so it could not be applicable for us to remark intimately presently.
“However, we are keen to work with Tech Nation to explore any suitable opportunities for their employees within the Barclays family.”
The authorities insisted that the choice handy the £12m Digital Growth Grant to Barclays’ Eagle Labs programme would symbolize higher worth for cash for taxpayers.
Tech Nation, which started a proper redundancy session on the finish of January, declined to remark formally.
Source: information.sky.com”