The Park City patrollers’ union has reached a contract agreement with Vail Resorts, securing similar pay and benefits to those at Aspen Skiing Company. The 10-month negotiation ended on the 12th day of the striking patrollers returning to work.
Under the new contract, entry-level patrollers will receive an almost $2-per-hour increase, raising their base pay from $21 to nearly $23 per hour. Tenured patrollers will see a $4 average hourly raise, while snow safety specialists will benefit from a $7.75 average hourly raise.
The Park City union also secured two weeks of paid parental leave for patrollers and “industry-leading” educational opportunities focusing on work-life balance. The contract aims to bring wages and benefits competitive with other ski resorts.
Aspen patroller representatives expressed support for the new agreement, saying it brings improvements to an industry historically underpaid and undervalued by corporate owners. Vail Resorts welcomed back their Park City Mountain patrollers, stating they looked forward to working together as a team and apologized to guests impacted by the strike.
The Park City union brought in patrollers from other Vail-owned resorts during the strike, operating the mountain with 30-40 patrollers instead of the usual 100-120. This resulted in run closures, long lift lines, and other operational difficulties. The union emphasized the importance of skilled and professional patrols for safe mountain operations.
The agreement also set a tone for the industry, highlighting the critical role mountain workers play in ski area operations.
Source: https://www.aspentimes.com/news/park-city-patrollers-union-achieves-similar-pay-benefits-to-aspen