LESA strike having ‘serious repercussions’ on construction industry, MDA warns

The Malta Developers Association (MDA) has warned that if a strike by Malta’s Local Enforcement System Agency (LESA) is not resolved in one weeks’ time, it will “have no other option” then to direct members to continue with their projects as normal.

A strike by LESA has been ongoing since 21st June, with wardens ordered not to issue traffic fines, not to tow away illegally parked cars and to avoid showing up at reported road accidents in protest of working conditions.

Due to the industrial action order given to LESA officials, members of the MDA had to halt their projects as the authorities could not provide them with officials from LESA, Transport Malta or the police force, when they needed to close roads and divert traffic due to the mounting of temporary mobile cranes.

MDA members are being told that LESA officials were unavailable while Transport Malta is insisting that it does not have the necessary resources to man the works needed. “This is having serious repercussions on MDA members and the industry at large,” the MDA warned in a statement.

“Without entering into the merits of the ongoing industrial action and fully respect its legitimacy, it cannot be that our members suffer the consequences due to a dispute they have nothing to do with,” a spokesman for the MDA said.

“While the MDA will continue to work towards a solution, its members cannot wait forever. Thus, we have now decided to give another week to let the parties find a solution. If not, we will have no other option than to direct our members to continue with their projects as normal from next Monday. We are currently considering all legal measures to make sure that our work goes on whatever the situation on the strike in the coming days,” the spokesman said.

The MDA urged the authorities and all those concerned to find a solution as soon as possible.