The ski area is preparing for a possible strike as contract negotiations continue

PARK CITY – A group of ski patrollers and mountain safety personnel are raising money in case they go on strike, which could happen at any moment.

The group, called the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association, said it was unhappy with contract negotiations with Vail Resorts, the owner of Park City Mountain.

They held a strike fundraiser at the O’Shucks White House on Sunday to raise money to cover their bills if they left their jobs.

A group of ski patrollers and mountain safety personnel held a strike fundraiser at the O’Shucks White House to raise money for their bills should they stop working on December 22, 2024. (Shelby Lofton, KSL TV)

“Many of our items are tentatively approved, but when we first proposed our wage proposal on Sept. 20, we hit a bit of a hurdle,” said Margaux Klingensmith, executive director of PCPSPA.

She said they did not want to strike but would do so if they felt they could not reach an agreement.

Park City Ski Patrol approves strike after unanimous vote

Klingensmith said it would be difficult to make this job a career given current compensation.

“We have fourth- and fifth-year patrol officers making as much or more than patrol officers who have been with us for 15 or 20 years,” she said.

She said they discussed counter-proposals back and forth with the company.

“These counterproposals would affect a very small portion of our unit and would result in essentially no pay increase for anyone in our unit,” Klingensmith said. “I think it’s affecting about 20 to 30 out of over 200 people right now.”

PCPSPA calls for an increase in base wages.

“The reason for this number is simply to keep up with inflation,” she said.

Park City Mountain told KSL TV that wages for seasonal patrollers have increased more than 50% in the last four years. It is said that the average pay of a patrol officer is more than $25 per hour and experienced patrol officers earn 35% more than entry-level officers.

Park City Mountain said as part of its proposal, returning patrol officers would receive a 4% pay raise and a $1,600 equipment allowance this season.

Should a strike occur, Park City Mountain Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Deirdra Walsh said they have patrol officers from that property and others ready to work, which the union calls scabs.

“Bringing in strikers undermines the safety of the resort,” Klingensmith said.

She said bringing people up the mountain who don’t know the terrain well could put guests in danger.

“I only worked in the base area of ​​the canyons and it took the whole first year to get familiar with the terrain. And I’m still learning about the places I find, and this is my sixth season on patrol,” Klingensmith said.

Park City Mountain’s Walsh said they are prepared to stay open and operate safely even in the event of a strike.

“Park City Mountain has plans to safely operate the resort throughout the season. We agreed to the patrol union’s request to schedule mediation this week. However, the union has continued to say it can call a strike at any time, including ahead of arbitration. If the union takes this drastic action, Park City Mountain will remain open to our employees, guests and the community. If necessary, we are ready to deploy our Patrol Support Team, which is comprised of experienced patrollers from Park City Mountain and our other mountain resorts. We are proud of this team’s extensive skills, certifications and professionalism. Patrol support team members receive training and resources to specialize in their assigned terrain area. We also have two medical clinics on site. Safety is always our top priority.”

Both the patrol union and Park City Mountain agreed to mediation this week.

“We are very confident that the company will come to the negotiating table with mediation, and we see a change in their counterproposals,” Klingensmith said. “However, we believe that what we have seen from the company are stalling tactics. At this point, over nine months have passed. There were several weeks when the company was unable to meet. In the last week alone we have not received a counter-proposal from the company on wages or benefits, and we have had two meetings this week where they could have done so.”

She said the union’s goal is to raise $50,000 for its strike fund, something it has done before.

“Several years ago we had a similar fund to help patrol officers pay their bills in the event of a strike. That raised over $100,000. And our original wording for that first strike fund years ago was that if we didn’t have to use it, we would give it back to the community and local organizations to support patrol officers in times of need and to support the local workforce,” said Bladesmith.

She said they are ready to do the same this time. Your board can also decide to go on strike at any time.

“The purpose of this nine-month process is to obtain a fair and reasonable contract,” she said.

Park City Mountain said its proposal is consistent with proposals adopted by ski patrols at other resorts.