SAM Magazine—Park City, Utah, Dec. 18, 2024—Vail Resorts and union representatives for the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) have agreed to mediation following a Dec. 16 bargaining session. Courtesy of the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association

Members of PCPSPA unanimously voted Dec. 14 to authorize the union to declare a strike if a contract agreement with Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR)-owner Vail Resorts cannot be reached.

“We remain committed to reaching an agreement with the patrol union, and are pleased they have agreed to pursue mediation,” said PCMR vice president and CEO Deirdre Walsh in a statement. “We believe this is the right next step, and a reasonable next step, in this process.”

The Park City Patrol is asking the resort to increase the starting wage of a patroller from $21 per hour to $23 per hour and to decompress the pay scale to better compensate tenured employees, among other things.

The vote to authorize a strike was held after PCPSPA and Vail Resorts met Dec. 12 for their 23rd bargaining session.

“PCPSPA presented its initial proposal on wages and benefits on September 20th,” said the union in a Dec. 14 statement. “Since then, Vail Resorts has passed virtually the same economic counterproposal back three times without substantial revisions, despite PCPSPA making significant concessions.”

Negotiators have reportedly reached a tentative agreement on 23 of the 27 contract articles reopened over the last 9 months.

“We have tremendous respect for our patrollers, which we have demonstrated by increasing patrol wages at Park City Mountain by more than 50 percent over the past four seasons to $25/hour on average,” said Walsh. “Experienced patrollers earn 35 percent more than entry-level patrol, and, under our proposal, returning patrollers will see a 4 percent wage increase this season plus a $1,600 equipment allowance.”

The resort’s proposal reportedly includes only a 0.5 percent wage increase and no benefits increase for entry-level patrollers.

According to the union, neighbor Deer Valley recently raised its starting wage for patrollers to $23.50, and Powder Mountain, Utah, starts its ski patrollers at $26 an hour.

“We need Vail Resorts to come to the table with a proposal that reflects the value of our work and the cost of living in this community,” said PCPSPA president Katie Lipps in a statement issued prior to Monday’s negotiation. 

Vail Resorts said its proposal aligns with agreements accepted at its other mountain resorts by patrols, both unionized and non-unionized. The company added that there were 3,000 applicants for 300 open ski patrol roles across its 37 resorts this season, which it cited as a testament to its strong wage and benefits package.

Park City Mountain ski patrollers have been working without a contract for the last nine months, after their previous contract, secured in 2022, expired in April.

The vote to authorize a strike does not mean a stoppage is imminent, said PCPSPA in a statement shared to social media on Monday. “Our negotiators will continue to meet with the company this week,” the group added, urging Vail Resorts “to prioritize meaningful negotiations.”

“We want to reassure our guests, employees, and community that Park City Mountain will remain open, with safety as our top priority, regardless of the union’s action,” said Walsh.