Industry News
KEYSTONE, CO—Yesterday, members of the Keystone Ski Patrol Union (KSPU) voted to ratify a new contract with Vail Resorts. This is the first contract KSPU has negotiated, marking a significant milestone for the group and bringing significant changes for the ski patrol.
- Related: Misinformation Claims Dominate Negotiations Between Keystone, CO, Ski Patrol Union and Vail Resorts
Negotiations with Vail Resorts began in the fall of 2024, and after months of bargaining, the KSPU negotiations team reached a tentative agreement earlier this week. A vote to officially ratify the new contract closed last night with a majority support from the membership. Currently, the Keystone Ski Patrol Union represents 81 employees.
Key details of the new contract include:
- Increased compensation for EMT, Nursing, and Paramedic certifications
- Additional wage incentives for specialized skills like language interpreters, sawyers, and chairlift evacuators
- Additional training opportunities for higher medical certifications, advanced avalanche education, and other specialized courses
- Wage compression adjustment
The Union is proud to announce that every member of the Keystone Ski Patrol will receive a pay increase from implementing this contract, with significant increases for those in advanced, specialist, and team-lead positions. The Union believes this contract is a huge step towards ski patrolling as a sustainable career and better reflects the value of work the ski patrol delivers.
In response to the agreement, Keystone Resort shared the following statement with SnowBrains:
“In my first season back at Keystone Resort and stepping into my new role as GM, a huge priority of mine has been focusing on operating as a unified team across the resort. Teamwork is the root and foundation of everything we do here and is key to providing the best experience possible for our employees, our community, and our skiers and riders. With that in mind, I am glad that we have a new agreement in place with our ski patrol union. I have a tremendous amount of respect for our patrollers at Keystone and I appreciate the conversations we have had throughout this process that brought us to this point: a contract with base wages that are consistent with our other resorts and skills-based pay that reflects the terrain and avalanche complexity of Keystone Resort.”
– Shannon Buhler, GM and VP of Keystone Resort
This new agreement will last through the 2026-2027 ski season.
