- Park City Mountain's ski patrollers approved a new contract with Vail Resorts, ending a 13-day strike.
- Ski patrol and mountain safety workers plan to return to the slopes Thursday.
- The new contract includes wage increases, parental leave policies, educational opportunities and a sustainable pay scale.
Striking Park City Mountain ski patrollers will return to the slopes Thursday after reaching a contract agreement with Vail Resorts.
Members of the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association ratified what the union called a “fair” contract late Wednesday. The deal marks the end of an unprecedented 13-day strike at the largest ski resort in the United States that started Dec. 27.
“The road to this agreement was anything but easy. Negotiating with Vail Resorts has been an incredibly challenging process, marked by months of persistence and dedication from our board, negotiators, and union members,” Seth Dromgoole, lead negotiator and 17-year patroller, said in a statement.
“This contract is more than just a win for our team — it’s a groundbreaking success in the ski and mountain worker industry. This effort demonstrates what can be achieved when workers stand together and fight for what they deserve.”
The association’s contract with Vail Resorts, Park City Mountain’s parent company, expired last April. The two sides had been unable to reach agreement on a new contract since talks began nearly 10 months ago. They agreed to mediation, and reached a tentative agreement after negotiation sessions Monday and Tuesday.
While the union and Vail had agreed to 24 of 27 contract items, wages and benefits remained a sticking point. The union sought to raise starting pay from $21 an hour to $23 an hour. It also sought holiday pay, an in-season health care stipend, flex time off, a cost-of-living adjustment, a better pay scale for experienced patrollers and more accessible parental leave.
What’s in the ski patrol’s new contract?
The newly ratified agreement addresses wages, benefits and career sustainability, including:
- A $2 per hour raise for entry-level patrollers and mountain safety personnel to $23 an hour.
- An average $4 an hour raise for tenured patrollers, with some of the most experienced workers, such as snow safety specialists, receiving an average increase of $7.75 per hour.
- Enhanced parental leave policies and educational opportunities
- A restructured wage scale designed to encourage long-term career growth and ensure the retention of highly skilled patrollers
- Wage parity with non-unionized Vail Resorts
“The ratification of this contract after 10 long months of negotiations is a step toward strengthening our patrol and mountain safety teams and fostering a safer, more financially-sustainable workplace. We are grateful for the steadfast support of the Park City community, our United Mountain Worker union siblings, and everyone else who played an essential role in helping us achieve this resolution,” Kate Lips, ski patrol association president and seven-year patroller, said in a statement.
The nearly 200 ski patrol patrollers and mountain safety personnel who walked off the job will go back to work Thursday, according to the association.
Vail apologizes for disruption
Vail Resorts also issued a statement after the contract was ratified.
“Park City Mountain has reached an agreement with the Park City ski patrol union that is consistent with our company’s wage structure for all patrollers, non-unionized and unionized, while accounting for the unique terrain and avalanche complexity of Park City Mountain,” Bill Rock, president of Vail Resorts’ Mountain Division said.
“We look forward to welcoming back the Park City Mountain patrollers in the coming days and moving forward together as one team. We apologize to our guests who were impacted by this strike and are incredibly grateful to our team who worked hard to keep the mountain open and operating safely over the past two weeks.”
The strike disrupted operations at the resort for the past nearly two weeks, particularly during the busy holiday season between Christmas and New Years. Skiers and snowboarders complaining about crowded slopes, long lift lines, unsafe conditions and limited open terrain. Vail has brought in ski patrollers from other its resorts to keep the mountain open.
Park City Mountain says its terrain priorities include opening the Tombstone, Dream Peak and McConkey’s areas. Snowmaking this week will continue on the Town Lift runs along with Silver Star, Doc’s and Lookout Ridge as its operations team continues to open the terrain that can be opened safely with the people it has each day.
Park City moving forward
On Tuesday, the Park City Council and Mayor Nann Worel had a terse message for Vail to resolve the labor dispute “without delay” to end the confusion and uncertainty on the mountain. They called Park City Mountain a “cornerstone” of the town’s well-being and Vail an essential employer.
Worel and the council applauded Vail and the ski patrol association for their mutual commitment to addressing workers’ concerns and finding a solution that supports our local economy and resort operations.
“The council and I are relieved and grateful for the strike’s resolution. This challenging time has highlighted the power of civility and mutual respect in overcoming our issues. We recognize and appreciate the hard work of everyone involved, especially the local resort leadership team, in bringing this to a successful conclusion,” Worel said in a statement
The mayor said it’s time to refocus on what makes Park City “extraordinary.”
“With plenty of powder on the slopes and signature events like the Sundance Film Festival and FIS World Cup just around the corner, we’re excited to showcase the Park City community spirit that defines us,” she said.