Ski patrollers crowding near the Canyons Village ski parking lot and holding signs on opening day said they’re not going on strike, but they do want better pay.
About 30 off-duty patrollers stayed through the morning to represent the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association. They held signs and talked to passers-by at the roundabout and Highway 224 intersection about their ongoing negotiations for better wages. Meanwhile, their on-duty colleagues worked normal shifts on the mountain above.
“We wanted to reach out to our friends in the community and let them know that we are still negotiating our contract,” said Brian Spieker, union president. “We’re getting close to the end, but we’re still talking about wages, primarily. We feel that the company’s offer of $15 an hour for a starting patrol wage is sort of low, considering the various expertise required to be a patroller, and we feel that it doesn’t go a very long way toward helping retain experienced patrollers and keep them around and help them be even better patrollers.”
The union represents about 200 ski patrollers employed by Park City, about 160 of whom are members. Since November 2020, multiple contract extensions have expired.
“We certainly understand and respect the right of our patrollers to be out there,” Park City Mountain Resort Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Mike Goar said. “We continue to work with the bargaining unit, and we’re making good progress there. Yeah, I would say disappointed and surprised that they were doing that in light of what the rest of our co-workers are doing today in terms of running the ski resort and providing our guests with this experience.”
Spieker encourages anyone interested in learning more about the ski patrol union to follow its Instagram page at username “pcpspa.” Or, they can email pcpspassociation@gmail.com.
