A labor pact that would help Dulles Metro construction

Regarding the June 26 editorial “Ungilding the Silver Line”:

I was disappointed to see The Post continue its crusade against the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority by deriding a currently unspecified project labor agreement (PLA) for Phase 2 of the Dulles rail project as being “pro-union.”

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The editorial misrepresented our planned PLA by expressing concern that such an agreement could increase the project’s costs partly because it would impose “cumbersome union rules.” For the record, a PLA will most likely set wages based on rates established by the Labor Department under the Davis-Bacon law. But construction will be done at Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates regardless of whether there is a PLA, because federal law requires such rates for construction projects that receive federal assistance.

The benefits associated with a PLA include the ability to attract and retain skilled workers, access to training programs and a mechanism for resolving workplace disputes to avoid disruptive work stoppages.

In addition, The Post is in error to suggest that any single person pushed the PLA recommendation through the Airports Authority board. The vote in favor of the PLA was 11 to 2, reflecting broad agreement among the members of our regionally and politically diverse board.

Charles D. Snelling, Washington

The writer is chairman of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

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 “Ungilding the Silver Line” noted the importance of controlling costs on the Dulles Metrorail project. One of the best ways of accomplishing this would be through the use of a community-supporting project labor agreement similar to the one that has allowed Phase 1 to proceed on time and on budget.

The overhaul of the Springfield Interchange was not covered by a PLA, and its costs ballooned by more than 300 percent as deadlines were repeatedly missed. When Nationals Park was built, with a PLA in effect, labor costs were kept under control, deadlines were met, and hundreds of jobs were created that were guaranteed to go to local workers.

PLAs promote responsible use of taxpayer money and protect the public’s investment by helping ensure high-quality projects. They also encourage the use of a local, representative workforce that will support local businesses.

Rick Porter, Washington

George Maloney, Millersville, Md.

The writers are, respectively, executive director of the National Heavy & Highway Coalition and president of Helix Construction Services.