Dulles Rail board backs down on union-friendly deal

The airports authority in charge of the $6 billion Dulles Rail project reversed course Wednesday and dropped a union-friendly labor agreement, caving to political pressure from Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell, of Virginia, and the all-Republican Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.

After months of resisting state threats to cut off funding, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority dropped its plans to give contractors who favored union labor bidding advantages on the second phase of the rail project, which will extend Metro’s Silver Line from Reston into Loudoun County.