Industry News
Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) officially went on strike today after negotiations with Vail Resorts fell apart.
- Related: Park City Ski Patrol Votes Unanimously to Strike, Escalating Wage Dispute With Vail Resorts
In our research, we have been unable to find evidence of any ski patrol union ever going on strike.
This very well may be unprecedented.
What this means for Park City Mountain Resort operations today and moving forward is unclear.
At 8:24 a.m. MT, Park City Mountain Resort reports that 25 of 41 lifts will open today, accessing 14% of their terrain via 51 of their 350 trails.
According to the PCPSPA, Vail has flown in other ski patrollers from its other ski resorts around the country so that they can still operate the ski resort.
As of this writing, Park City Mountain Resort has not released a statement about the current strike situation.
We recently had their leadership team on our podcast, which will go live on Tuesday.
PCPSPA released the following statement this morning:
“This morning, at 7:30 am, our membership hung up their jackets and walked out of the locker room and formed a picket line in solidarity to amplify our fight for better wages and working conditions.
Vail Resorts forced this walkout by bargaining in bad faith and repeatedly violating the National Labor Relations Act. Consistent with Vail’s bad faith tactics, after yesterday’s seven hour negotiation session with a mediator present, the company continued to refuse to give a counteroffer on wages or benefits. They have had two weeks to prepare a counter proposal.
Multiple unfair labor charges have been filed against Vail throughout this bargaining process. Additionally, the company continues to impose their anti-worker strategy by flying in scabs rather than coming to the table with a reasonable offer.
We are asking all of you to show your support by halting spending at Vail Resorts properties for the duration of this strike. Do not purchase day tickets or food from Vail owned dining. Do not use Vail-owned rental shops or retail stores. Do not stay in Vail-owned hotels. Instead, buy and support local businesses!
We did everything in our power to avoid this work stoppage. Our goal has been and continues to be to secure a fair contract.”
– Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association, 12/27/24
In email correspondence, Deirdra Walsh, VP & COO for Park City Mountain, told SnowBrains:
“We are deeply disappointed the patrol union has walked out of mediation and chosen drastic action that attempts to disrupt mountain operations in the middle of the holiday season, given we invested significantly in patrol with their wages increasing more than 50% over the past four seasons, and we have reached agreements on 24 of the 27 current contract terms.
We want to reassure skiers and snowboarders, our employees, and this community that despite the union’s actions, Park City Mountain will remain open with safety as our top priority, and all planned terrain will be open thanks to experienced patrol leaders from Park City Mountain and our other mountain resorts.
In addition to the over 50% increase in wages over the past four seasons, the current Park City Mountain patrol proposal increases wages another 4% for the majority of patrollers and provides $1,600 per patroller for equipment.
Again, we are surprised by the union’s action given we had planned for a full day of productive mediation today before they walked out. Unfortunately, that will not go forward as planned, as our negotiating team must now shift focus today to operational continuity. We remain committed to reaching an agreement.”
– Deirdra Walsh, VP & COO for Park City Mountain
The Park City Mountain Ski Patrol is a unionized group of employees, meaning their wages, benefits, and terms of employment are governed by a contract negotiated between the company and the union’s representatives under the laws of the National Labor Relations Act. This union’s last contract expired in April. Vail Resorts was pleased with the progress in negotiations, having reached a tentative agreement with the union on 24 of the 27 contract articles reopened over the last nine months. The two groups have continued to meet regularly, engaging in good faith. Mediation, a process the union agreed was a reasonable next step, began yesterday with another session scheduled for today before the union walked away.
The PCPSPA is pushing for several improvements in its new contract:
- An increase in the starting wage from $21 to $23 per hour
- Better compensation for experienced patrollers
- Enhanced benefits and educational opportunities
- Wage adjustments to keep pace with inflation since 2022
Deirdra Walsh, Vice President and COO of Park City Mountain also expressed disappointment with the union’s December 14 vote to authorize a strike. In a statement provided to ABC4, Walsh said, “We are deeply disappointed the union has decided to vote to authorize a strike after refusing to negotiate in good faith or discuss mediation on Thursday.”
The union’s decision followed a series of unproductive negotiation sessions with Vail Resorts, including a contentious meeting on December 12 that ended abruptly, reports The Park Record. According to union representatives, Vail Resorts has repeatedly presented similar economic counterproposals without substantial revisions since September 20, despite the union making significant concessions.
“The union walked out of negotiations when we were prepared to discuss their wage proposal. We were ready to continue conversations, and it was disappointing to see them refuse any dialogue and leave abruptly.”
– Deirdra Walsh to The Park Record
The PCPSPA released a statement detailing the results of their strike authorization vote:
“100% of our members who voted, voted yes to authorize a strike. Above all, the result of this vote highlights the unity and solidarity within our membership. Our union remains committed to ratifying a fair contract that ensures this job can become a viable career and adequately compensates our experienced and skilled patrol. With this vote, we urge Vail Resorts to prioritize meaningful negotiations”.
- Related: SnowBrains Podcast #33 | Park City Professional Ski Patrol – Battling Vail Resorts For a Living Wage
Vail Resorts says Park City patrollers now earn over $25 per hour on average, up more than 50% from four years ago. The company’s most recent proposal offers a 4% wage hike and a $1,600 equipment allowance, reports TownLift.
The PCPSPA started a GoFundMe for patrollers in preparation for a potential walkout.
Fuck it they don’t Pay shutting these mountains down without any patrol will pinch them right where it needs to eat the rich blows my mind how greedy these corporate ski resorts are can’t do shit without a patrol squad stick it back to the man they don’t like to lose money strike for two days. That’s some big bucks and if you cross the line as a patroller from another ski resort, you should be ashamed of yourself and quit kissing the ring of veil, corporate greed
Is there a link to their current contract? What are they asking for?
They start at $21 per hour and want $23. The rent prices in park city are $2-3k+ a month for a 1 bedroom.
Considering the nature of their work at Vail and it’s importance to the safety of all skiers ,as a former ski patroller myself, I wouldn’t do that job there for less than $30/hr. Considering the outrageous price of ski passes at Vail and the profits of this company ,(like many resorts ,) it is tremendously likely the company CEO is a billionaire. Time to make a stand and stop the scabs Your job could be next.
Just updated with more info…