As fresh snow attracts tourism dollars, the Park City Mountain Ski Patrol goes on strike

PARK CITY, Utah (KUTV) — Ski patrollers contracted by Vail Resorts, Utah’s Park City Mountain and several ski resorts in other states made good on their promise from earlier this month and went on strike when a fair contract agreement could not be reached between Ski Patrol and Vail Resorts.

On Friday, as the weekend began with fresh snow on Utah’s mountains, union members “hung up their jackets, walked out of the locker room and formed a picket line in solidarity to strengthen our fight for better wages and working conditions,” according to a message on the park’s Instagram City Professional Ski Patrol posted.

The full statement can be found at the end of this report.

In the post, the union accused Vail Resorts of forcing the strike through malicious negotiations and accused the company of “repeatedly violating the National Labor Relations Act.”

“Consistent with Vail’s bad faith tactics, the company continued to refuse to make a counteroffer on wages or benefits after yesterday’s seven-hour bargaining session with a mediator present,” the union said. “You had two weeks to prepare a counterproposal.”

The details of how the company violated the NLRA also were not disclosed.

In a statement to KUTV, Park City Mountain’s vice president said the resort will be open to the public even as Ski Patrol pickets.

“We want to reassure skiers and snowboarders, our employees and this community that despite the union’s actions, Park City Mountain will remain open and safety is our top priority,” VP and Chief Operating Officer Deirdra Walsh said in the statement, “and everyone .” The proposed site will be open thanks to patrol leaders from Park City Mountain and our other mountain resorts.

It was a strategy that the union did not appreciate.

“… the company continues to enforce its anti-worker strategy by flying in scabs instead of coming to the table with a reasonable offer,” the union’s statement said.

She said the resort was “deeply disappointed” that the patrol union had abandoned arbitration and taken drastic measures to disrupt mountain operations in the middle of the holiday season…

According to Walsh’s statement, Vail Resorts had increased ski patrollers’ pay by more than 50% over the past four seasons.

She also stated that there are 27 current contract terms at play in the ongoing negotiations and that the union and Vail Resorts have reached agreement on 24 of them.

“…The current Park City Mountain patrol proposal increases wages for the majority of patrol officers by an additional 4% and provides $1,600 per patrol officer for equipment,” Walsh added. “We remain committed to reaching an agreement.”

KUTV has reached out to union leaders and local ski patrol workers and is in the process of making contact with them.

This article is currently being updated. Refresh to get the latest information.

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Statement from the Park City Professional Ski Patrol

This morning at 7:30 a.m. our members hung up their jackets, walked out of the locker room and formed a picket line in solidarity to strengthen our fight for better wages and working conditions.

Vail Resorts forced this strike by negotiating in bad faith and repeatedly violating the National Labor Relations Act. Consistent with Vail’s bad faith tactics, the company continued to refuse to make a counteroffer on wages or benefits after yesterday’s seven-hour negotiating session with a mediator present. They had two weeks to come up with a counterproposal.

During this negotiation process, several charges of unfair labor conditions were brought against Vail. Furthermore, the company continues to enforce its anti-worker strategy by flying in scabs instead of coming to the table with a reasonable offer.

We are asking everyone to show your support by stopping spending at Vail Resorts hotels for the duration of this strike. Do not purchase day passes or food at Vail-owned restaurants. Do not use Vail-owned rental or retail stores. Do not stay in Vail-owned hotels. Instead, buy and support local businesses!

We have done everything in our power to avoid this loss of work. Our goal was and is to conclude a fair contract.

Deirdra Walsh, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Park City Mountain

“We are deeply disappointed that the patrol union has abandoned arbitration and taken drastic action to disrupt mountain operations in the middle of the holiday season, when we have invested significantly in the patrol and their wages have increased by more than 50% over the last four seasons are.” and we have reached agreements on 24 of the 27 current contractual terms.

We want to assure skiers and snowboarders, our employees and this community that despite the union’s actions, Park City Mountain remains open with safety as our top priority, and that all planned terrain is open thanks to Park City Mountain patrol leaders and us other mountain resorts will remain.

In addition to over 50% pay increases over the last four seasons, the current Park City Mountain Patrol proposal increases pay for the majority of patrol officers by an additional 4% and provides $1,600 per patrol officer for equipment. We remain committed to reaching an agreement.”

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Matthew Jacobson reports from Salt Lake City

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