Park City Mountain Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Deirdre Walsh told KPCW they are committed to staying open amid prolonged contract negotiations with the resort’s ski patrol union.
“Park City Mountain has plans in place to safely operate the resort all season long," Walsh said. "We agreed to the patrol union’s request to schedule mediation this week; however, the union has continued to state that they may call a strike at any time, including in advance of mediation. If the union takes this drastic action, Park City Mountain will remain open to serve our employees, guests, and the community.”
The union, which represents over 200 ski patrollers and safety staff at Park City Mountain, voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike earlier this month.
Union business manager Margaux Klingensmith said the resort could create safety risks if it brings in replacement patrollers if the group decides to strike.
“It’s hard to say the full impact,” Klingensmith said. “What I can say is it takes our new hires pretty much the entire season to learn the mountain… and it would be incredibly difficult for someone to learn that quickly.”
Walsh said a plan is in place to operate the resort if union members move to strike.
“If necessary, we are prepared to deploy our Patrol Support Team, which consists of experienced patrollers from Park City Mountain and our other mountain resorts,” Walsh said. “We are proud of this team's deep skills, certifications, and professionalism. Patrol Support Team members are provided with training and resources to specialize in the terrain area they are assigned. In addition, we have two on-site medical clinics. Safety is always our number one priority."
The union has been posting on social media asking would-be strikebreakers – sometimes called scabs – not to cross picket lines. Klingensmith said they’re asking employees to side with them amid ongoing contract negotiations.
“If we are forced to strike, it’s not too late to stand with your fellow patrollers and our families and our community we care deeply about, and choose not to scab,” she said.
Union members and resort leadership are scheduled to hold a mediation session on Thursday. The two parties have been negotiating since the last contract expired in April.
The parties reached a tentative agreement on education and training packages on Dec. 18, but continue to haggle over wages.
The union wants Park City Mountain owner Vail Resorts to raise the patrollers’ base wage from $21 to $23 per hour across all resorts to adjust for nationwide inflation. The group also wants Vail to increase compensation for more experienced patrollers.
According to Park City Mountain, patrol wages have increased more than 50% over the past four seasons, outpacing inflation.
The union has also filed unfair labor practice complaints against Vail with the National Labor Relations Board over delays in negotiations.
