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Park City ski patrol union votes to authorize strike amid negotiations with Vail Resorts

Members of the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association and their supporters picket at the Deer Valley Drive and Park Avenue intersection. It's not an official strike.
Kristine Weller
/
KPCW
Members of the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association and their supporters picket at the Deer Valley Drive and Park Avenue intersection. It's not an official strike.

The Park City ski patrol union has unanimously authorized a strike after the latest negotiation meeting with Vail Resorts. Park City Mountain officials say they are frustrated as well.

The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association and Vail Resorts met Dec. 12 for the 23rd bargaining session.

Union spokesperson Margaux Klingensmith said little progress was made.

“Despite concessions in our last counter offer as a sign of good faith, the company still responded with a counter that was essentially the same as their last two.”

The local patrol union wants Vail 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.

Vail Resorts’ counteroffer includes less than a 0.5% wage increase to entry-level patrollers and no increases to benefits.

However, Vail notes it has included other improvements in its offer. In a statement, Park City Mountain President and Chief Operating Officer Deirdra Walsh said returning patrollers at the resort this season will receive an average wage increase of 4%, plus a $1,600 equipment allowance, with the resort’s wage proposal.

To address mounting frustrations in the union, Klingensmith said 100% of members who voted supported authorizing a strike. Nearly 99% of members voted.

While this doesn’t mean a strike will happen, the union is prepared to if it feels it’s necessary.

So far no date has been set.

Walsh expressed disappointment with this decision.

“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, and this approach does not acknowledge that Park City Mountain patrol wages have increased more than 50% in the past four seasons to an average wage of $25 per hour,” she said. “We want to reassure our community, our employees and our guests that Park City Mountain will remain open with safety as our top priority, regardless of the union’s actions.”

The wages and benefits in the proposal, Walsh said, are also consistent with proposals accepted by all of Vail’s other patrols — union or otherwise.

During the latest bargaining session, Klingensmith said the union added language about adjusting wages annually for inflation and cost of living.

“We heard from our membership that they're tired of having to fight this hard every couple years just to keep up with inflation, and we're trying to propose something that would allow us to sign a longer contract,” she said.

Vail has until the next bargaining session Monday, Dec. 16, to consider the proposal.

Park City Mountain ski patrollers and other mountain safety staff have been working without a contract since the last one expired in April. Both sides will follow the previous contract until a new agreement is reached.