Industry News
PARK CITY, UT – The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) met with Vail Resorts and a federal mediator over the last two days, December 30-31, to address outstanding contract articles. These sessions occurred against the backdrop of an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike initiated by the Union on December 27 after filing multiple ULPs against the company. Over the last two days, the Company and Union exchanged offers on all outstanding articles, yet both sides remain far from a resolution, according to a press release from the PCPSPA.
“While we’ve seen progress in some areas of the contract and are happy the company and mediator were willing to meet the past two days, the company’s current wage and benefit proposals do not adequately address the needs of our members. We will continue fighting for a fair contract that recognizes the essential contributions of ski patrollers and mountain safety personnel and supports the long-term success of our team and Park City Mountain.”
– Seth Dromgoole, PCPSPA ’s Lead Negotiator
Despite over nine months of bargaining, The Union has yet to see adequate movement from the company on wages and benefits. PCPSPA and Vail Resorts will meet on January 2 with a mediator present. Despite the Company agreeing to come to the table the last two days, the Union is once again deeply disappointed with its inadequate counteroffer, which fails to address most of the critical concerns of PCPSPA’s members. PCPSPA’s goal has always been and continues to be committed to securing a fair contract that reflects the value of its members’ experience, provides them adequate seasonal benefits, and addresses the high cost of living in and around Park City. “Given the major impacts our work stoppage has had on resort operations, we are surprised the company’s counter-proposal is still far from what we feel is acceptable,” said Nik Smith, PCPSPA VP and nine-year patroller.
Background
Park City Mountain, Utah, ski patrol enters its seventh day of strike today, Thursday, demanding better wages and benefits. The union is seeking a $2 per-hour raise from $21 to $23 base wage, arguing that current wages are insufficient for living in an expensive mountain town.
However, Park City Mountain Resort’s management claims they’ve offered fair terms, including a 50% wage increase over the last four years, a proposal with a $1,600 equipment allowance, and a 4% increase. The average seasonal patroller wage is over $25 per hour, and experienced patrollers earn 35% more than entry-level positions.
The strike has significantly reduced the number of patrollers on the mountain from 120 to 30-40 per day, potentially affecting lift lines and terrain accessibility. While the union asserts that negotiations have been ongoing for months, resort management expressed disappointment over the strike. Despite the ongoing dispute, both sides desire to reach an agreement, with the resort emphasizing its commitment to safe operations during the busy holiday season.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Deirdra Walsh, VP and COO for Park City Mountain, shared an open letter and a video speech in which she acknowledged the challenges the patrol strike and poor snow conditions have created for the resort.
The text is below, and the post is embedded after.
“To our guests –
I want to acknowledge the reality of the guest experience at Park City Mountain over the past couple of days. We have not been able to open as much terrain as we would like to – and I know that resulted in delays in operations and longer-than-usual lift lines. The holidays are such an important part of the ski season, and my team works so hard to deliver you a great experience, that when we fall short – we take it seriously.
There are a couple of factors at play. First, we have not had the snowfall that we usually have by this point in the season. Our five-year average is 110 inches, and as of Monday, we’re at about 84 inches. Even with fresh snowfall, the lower snowpack makes opening terrain more challenging. Also, it is obviously very disappointing to have members of our ski patrol on strike. We have plans in place to safely operate – but there have been operational impacts from the union’s action. Each day we are opening the terrain that is safe to open with the people we have. Today, that meant lift availability on the Canyons Village side of our resort was limited.
As we look ahead, I want to give you a sense of how I’m thinking about operations. First and foremost, our focus each and every day is to open safely. We are assessing terrain every day. Moving forward, we will prioritize opening our most popular intermediate and beginner terrain first and delay the opening of expert terrain. Safety is our priority, and we want to put our resources toward the most impactful terrain experience for the majority of skiers and riders.
To our guests who are here, I want to thank you for your patience. I am committed to delivering you a safe experience. We will update you each morning with our terrain availability and are very hopeful we’ll have a more consistent experience tomorrow and in the coming days.
To our guests who are planning a trip later in the season, I am working each and every day to ensure Park City Mountain delivers the world-class experience you expect.
Thank you,
Deirdra”– Deirdra Walsh, Chief Operating Officer, Park City Mountain
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