The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association set up strike lines at 7:30 a.m. Picketing patrollers in their signature red jackets and their supporters waved strike signs demanding fair wages and drawing honks from passing drivers.
An estimated 200 patrollers and safety staff are participating in the strike, which follows nine months of contract negotiations with Park City Mountain officials. It’s not clear how long the strike may last.
In a statement, Park City Mountain Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Deirdra Walsh said the resort is “deeply disappointed” in the union’s decision to strike.
The two sides have been at the negotiating table since April, when the union’s last contract expired. The parties reached a tentative agreement on 24 of 27 contract terms earlier this month, but continue to negotiate over wages.
Union business manager Margaux Klingensmith said they met with a mediator for seven hours on Thursday.
“We gave our last counter proposal on wages and benefits over two weeks ago,” Klingensmith said. “The company did not come prepared with a counter offer on wages or benefits yesterday. And after negotiations yesterday, we do feel that our fear was confirmed — and mediation is just a stall tactic from the company.”
The union has also filed unfair labor practice complaints against Vail with the National Labor Relations Board over delays in negotiations.
Walsh with Park City Mountain said the resort will remain open for skiing and riding despite the strike. The company has brought in patrollers from other resorts to fill in for union members.
Klingensmith said they were made aware of that plan after union members voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike earlier this month.
“We have also heard that those folks were forced to come out here over the holidays, leave their families, at threat to their jobs,” Klingensmith said.
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. Walsh said the current proposal increases wages another 4% for the majority of patrollers and provides $1,600 per patroller for equipment. She said resort officials remain committed to reaching an agreement.
The company said there were nearly 3,000 applicants for 300 open patrol roles this season, which they claim reflects the wage and benefits they offer.
Klingensmith said the union is asking the public to support locally-owned businesses and boycott Vail during the strike.
“We’re asking you not to buy a $25 hamburger,” Klingensmith said. “We understand that a lot of folks buy their passes early, and there’s nothing you can do about already giving that money, but we encourage folks not to, for the duration of this strike, give Vail Resorts another dime.”
Patrollers are picketing at Mountain Village, Canyons Village and the intersection of Park Avenue and Deer Valley Drive from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Friday.
The union has raised over $32,000 on GoFundMe. The ski patrol association has set a $100,000 goal.
