No PLAce for Rail?

Evan Macbeth
Chairman, Loudoun County Democratic Committee

Somehow, the debate over Rail to Dulles, the most important transportation infrastructure investment of our generation, has been changed into a debate over unions. Because, apparently, living in a right-to-work state in which the union movement has to wade through cement in order to exercise the basic rights of workers that even Ronald Reagan believed in (he was a union leader, it’s worth remembering), isn’t enough for Virginia - and Loudoun - Republicans. For those who aren’t yet aware of the current manufactured outrage from Loudoun’s right, let me bring you up to speed.

Phase I of Rail to Dulles included a provision in the bid process that provides a slight (10 points out of 100) bonus if the main contractor includes a “Project Labor Agreement” (i.e. “PLA”) in their bid. (http://www.leesburg2day.com/news/loudoun/article_76045366-7924-11e1-a245-0019bb2963f4.html) A PLA basically does two things. First, it prevents strikes and work stoppages by written agreement between the people doing the work (represented by their unions) and the contractor. Second, it puts the burden of paying for cost and time overruns on the main contractor for the project. Because those that bid to do the work should be held to their bid. Under a PLA, taxpayers and the government are not responsible for paying more than the contracted price, even in the case of cost overruns on the project.

The case in favor of a PLA is simple: In Virginia, projects that have PLAs come in safer, on-time and on-budget. Projects without PLAs are less safe, more expensive and late. The evidence for this is apparent when looking at the history of transportation projects in Northern Virginia over the past ten years or so. For example, the Springfield Interchange (or, “Mixing Bowl” as it is known) re-engineering project was one of the biggest transportation quagmires of the past half-century here in Virginia. It resulted in 5 deaths, cost over $300 million more than was budgeted, and was late. It was done without a Project Labor Agreement. Contrast that with Dulles Rail Phase I, or “Rail to Reston” as I like to call it. Rail to Reston has been accomplished on-budget and on-time, and with even more miles of construction in the middle of roads than the Springfield project. It has been done - so far- without a single fatality.

The experience of northern Virginia is that projects that have PLAs are done on-budget, on-time, and safely. The projects without them are boondoggles.

So, of course, the Republican Board of Supervisors, our Republican members of the General Assembly, Gov. McDonnell and George Allen oppose a PLA for the Metro project. Because our elected Republicans know that finishing Rail to Dulles with a PLA would demonstrate that an expression of the public will, in the form of government action, can be done efficiently, effectively and safely. Republicans are trying to kill a critical infrastructure project for their own political purposes. They are using the scapegoat of unions, organizations that exist to assert and defend our rights as employees, to destroy a generational legacy supported by the large majority of their constituents.

We, the voters of Loudoun, must raise our voices. This should not stand.