The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority voted this morning to drop its policy favoring project labor agreements for Phase Two of Rail to Dulles.
The policy, which would’ve given a 10 percent bonus to the final evaluation of companies that promised to use a project labor agreement, or PLA, was considered a serious obstacle for anti-union state and local Republicans.
Gov. Bob McDonnell said he would withhold the commonwealth’s $150 million investment for the second phase of Rail to Dulles if MWAA, the organization overseeing construction of the project, didn’t strike its PLA-preference policy. Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York (R-At Large) is on record saying the PLA policy severely jeopardizes the Loudoun board’s vote to remain as a funding partner for the $5.5 billion project.
A PLA essentially is a collective bargaining agreement that applies to a specific project. It can set uniform wages, benefits and work rules for the project.
Proponents argue that PLAs improve safety and help ensure a project is completed on time and on budget; opponents say the agreements increase costs by mandating the use of union labor.
State Sen. Mark Herring (D-33rd) immediately issued a statement praising the MWAA board’s decision to drop the 10 percent incentive.
“The MWAA Board’s decision removes the major stated obstacle for members of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to commit to the project,” said Herring. “It is time for the board to vote to opt-in to Phase Two and bring Metro to Loudoun. The decision also frees up the already promised $150 million contribution from the Commonwealth to the project ... I will continue my effort to secure additional state funding for Phase Two in order to bring down projected toll increases and lessen the burden on the Toll Road users.”
The pro-Dulles Rail group Loudoun Rail Now quickly reacted to MWAA’s vote, as well, saying it “is pleased that the MWAA Board has voted today to remove the policy.”
“As clearly stated by the Loudoun Board of Supervisors and Gov. Bob McDonnell, removal of the PLA is the critical step in approving Rail to Loudoun ... With this vote, the Commonwealth will move forward with its $150 million contribution to Phase Two. Equally critical, Loudoun County’s Board has made the removal of the PLA an essential pathway towards opting into the Silver Line,” read a statement from the rail advocacy group.
The Loudoun chamber is where I go and do my business!
Latte, Loudoun has had 35 years to plan for it. We are 3 weeks from a decision. We have no funding plan in place to pay for Loudoun’s contribution.
Does this not strike the NOW crowd as a bit of a problem?
For all the lauded business acumen of the Loudoun Chamber, it seems that how the Metro will be paid for would be at the top of the list.
The reason is the economics of the Metro are terrible and everyone knows it. Note how the NOW crowd always avoids a cost and payment discussion. The cost is too high, plain and simple. It’s like a car salesman is telling Loudoun that they can buy a Chevy for $200k. Yeah, we can get the car, but the price is ridiculous.
The PLA is meaningless. A bad project is a bad project, regardless of who builds it. MWAA will still hire whoever they choose once they have our money.
What we need, B-Monk, is clear-headed decisions and support for Metro, not more scare tactics and conspiracy theories.
Calling for “steel-willed negotiators” and framing this in some sort of bizarre leftist tyrannical plot is ridiculous and certainly sheds light into the mindset of the desperate minority against the project.
Today’s decision was a good decision, and shows the BoS is not only taking into account the opinions of the citizens of Loudoun, but is also huge indication that Loudoun is about to seal the Metro deal, so to speak.
And yes…the NO PLA provision had better be ironclad. Introducing PLA at anytime in the process instantly kills the agreement and we reserve the right to abandon the project.
That could be one of a host of restrictions issued by Loudoun. They could make demands regarding the DTR as leverage. It’s clear that MWAA has no where else to go.
What we need are steel-willed negotiators that don’t take no for an answer.
Wait for the left/MWAA to start calling for headshots to those who oppose them here….like they have done to Walker.
That whole civility thing only works when they want to criticise someone else.
First Scott Walker is re-confirmed as governor of Wisconsin and MWAA sees the light. The tides must be turning, or the pendulum is swinging, but this is great news.
To follow up on my comment, since the DoT draft audit just declared gross ethical misconduct with contracting at MWAA, we shouldn’t take their word at face value. A concrete agreement as BPM just suggested must be mandatory.
And what guarantee does Loudoun have that MWAA won’t add it back in?
Might need a formal agreement drawn up before voting on this. That agreement should definitely state that if the PLA is reintroduced at a later date (as is the common sneak approach with unions, and by their own history - the WMAA), the county’s agreement is null and void.
It is the only way to keep the PLA OUT OF LOUDOUN.
It was the sensible move to get more people on board.
Another positive step in the direction of rail to 772…glad to see MWAA doing the right thing.
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