“How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher”. — Jimi Hendrix
The Patrol skill set deserves a a nice pay raise. I wouldn't ski PCMR with out patrol and neither should you.
snowmakers could use a raise as well…
fact.
A dollar more an hour than dishwashers.
Walk right out patrol, now.
wasn't this done two (or three) years ago ?
isn't the PCMSPatrol unionized ?
I thought Patrol representatives negotiated for two years to raise the wage for patrollers to 19. /hr., to have Vail set starting wage for PCM employees ( including Patrol ) at 21./hr. --
Good luck.
skiJ
When I left PC SP in 1991 I was making the princely sum of 8.75 an hour and no OT until after 48 hrs (some bullshit about us being classified as agricultural workers). In adjusted dollars that pencils out to $ 21.00 an hour however the demands on a ski patroller in 2025 make them worth $ 25.00 at a minimum.
Fuck Vail.
Union patrollers at Big Sky start in the 25 dollar range with a lot less skier numbers.
I have been in this State for 30 years and I am willing to admit that I am part of the problem.
"Happiest years of my life were earning < $8.00 and hour, collecting unemployment every spring and fall, no car, no debt and no responsibilities. 1984-1990 Park City UT"
They did, and they are. When they negotiated that deal, it came with a notice that the agreement was only to keep the resort open and that it was temporary. Now, Dec 22 is the day that they should strike. Let's see Vaill fill their jobs with the 2700 available scabs (Haha). Season pass sales are down. The hotels are filled for the holiday with non-refundable reservations. The strike would last 1 day, and Vail would have no choice but to cave. How confident do you think tourists paying $500-$1000/rm. would stand for a Christmas shutdown, or worse yet, a resort filled with untrained and green patrollers.
“How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher”. — Jimi Hendrix
Park City Ski Patrol authorizes strike against Vail Resorts
Ryan Bittan
17 hours ago
PARK CITY, Utah (ABC4) — The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) has voted to authorize a strike in their contract negotiations with Vail Resorts.
On Sept. 20, 2024, the union put forth its initial proposal for better wages and benefits, which would be the start of contentious contract negotiations between Park City ski patrol and their partners, Vail Resorts. Moving forward, they said Vail Resorts has passed “virtually the same economic counterproposal back three times without substantial revisions, despite PCPSPA making significant concessions,” according to a press release from the PCPSPA.
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/hour. 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.
Deirdra Walsh![]()
I have been in this State for 30 years and I am willing to admit that I am part of the problem.
"Happiest years of my life were earning < $8.00 and hour, collecting unemployment every spring and fall, no car, no debt and no responsibilities. 1984-1990 Park City UT"
Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black...
“How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher”. — Jimi Hendrix
I have been in this State for 30 years and I am willing to admit that I am part of the problem.
"Happiest years of my life were earning < $8.00 and hour, collecting unemployment every spring and fall, no car, no debt and no responsibilities. 1984-1990 Park City UT"
I doubt that would cover all the routes.![]()
I have been in this State for 30 years and I am willing to admit that I am part of the problem.
"Happiest years of my life were earning < $8.00 and hour, collecting unemployment every spring and fall, no car, no debt and no responsibilities. 1984-1990 Park City UT"
recognize the pool of patrollers that Vail Resorts has to draw from
( I suspect management and supervision would be handled across departments, and )
pre-hospital care could be handled by other available ( first responders, EMTs, and paramedics ) ;
I am no fan of Vail Resorts, but this is corporate operations in the twenty-first century.
( I believe in 2021 ( or 2022) Vail Resorts settled the wage issue for Two dollars/hour more than the union had been calling for for nine months ).
Vail Resorts is not going to tell their plan, even if they are put in the position to need to utilize it.
as Bunion says, snow control at PCMR is 'straight-forward' , and VR has other snow safety personnel.
Good luck.
( skiJ )
I'll say the quiet part out loud. Vail can probably toss the union a $1/hr raise and bring this to an end. People will scream "SoLiDaRiTy!!1!", get their feel good win, and still not be able to afford to buy groceries. But at least they can pat themselves on the back knowing they really stuck it to the man.
That said, I truly hope PCSP gets a 100% raise, along with the rest of VR patrols.
Waiting to get dog piled in 3, 2...
First scab who loses control of a 'bile or full sled would bring out the vulture lawyers like stink on stuff. Popcorn's cooking.
You're not wrong, and I'd guess that potential liability would hold the strongest leverage of PC's strike.
However, many supervisors/managers at other VR ski areas are not part of the union, and I imagine this is who Vail would draw from - experienced patrollers. Not everyone is happy with their respective union, or the fact that a 4th year is getting paid nearly as much as they are as a 10 year with significantly more responsibility. So why wouldn't they cross the line?
Cuz its Vail?
Recently, I ate at a restaurant that charged a 4% service fee to the bill. This has become quite common. The service fee was an add-on that would go directly to the chef and kitchen staff. I wonder whether if Vail does not want to give these good folks a wee deserved raise, if the union can negotiate that going forward Vail add on a X% service fee on passes and tickets that goes directly to it's patrollers? Of course, that would cost pass holder's more money, but it is the public who are benefiting from expert patrollers.
“How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher”. — Jimi Hendrix
Snow control might be straight forward.
But Vail isn't sitting on a pool of people able to splint fractures and dislocations on a hill, load them into a sled, and ski them down. Sure, care once they are off the hill, no big deal. But getting folks packaged and off the mountain is not in the skill sets of other Vail employees.
PCMR is lucky that it's not on NF land and that Vail is self insured. Every NF special use permit I've seen for ski areas (all in CO), requires a patrol plan (e.g. staffing standards) and active patrol to operate. External insurers wouldn't let a lift spin w/o a patrol; but Vail is it's own thing.
How many scabs have blaster cards? Avy control when the resort gets rolling would be a nightmare. Perhaps lethal.
with more that 25 ski areas in the US, I believe VR has patrollers available to provide ( "hill" / mountain ) Patrol coverage if need be ;
between Vail, BC, Keystone and Breckenridge, I believe they could temporarily reassign enough experienced patrollers to provide effective coverage, . . .
Again, no fan of Vail Resorts, But
I Am trying to be realistic about the leverage a strike would create.
my sincere "best wishes" to the PCM ski patrollers -
Good luck. !
( skiJ )
I'm sure they'll be thrilled to travel over the Holidays.
It 's not going to come to that, -yabyum, but
the idea that a strike would create hardship for Vail Resorts, ,,,
" C'mon, man ! !!! "
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