Photo: @pcskipatrolunion
The ongoing labor dispute between the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) and Vail Resorts took another turn this week when the PCPSPA filed unfair labor practice complaints. The new move by that union adds to the open unfair labor practice complaints already filed by Crested Butte and Keystone workers, as well.
The complaints come after union workers voted to authorize a strike last week. With meetings between the two parties set for Monday and Wednesday earlier this week, a tentative agreement was finally reached on issues concerning an education and training package. That still leaves the union’s requests for wage increases and improvements to employee benefits on the table, which Vail Resorts reportedly did not come to the most recent negotiations prepared to counter offer. The union has requested ski patrol wages be increased to adjust for inflation, which would raise the entry-level wage from $21 to $23 per hour. Vail Resorts previously offered to increase wages by 0.5 percent for entry-level patrollers with no increase to benefits while arguing they’ve already raised wages for returning patrollers by four percent.
Park City Mountain Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Deidra Walsh says “3.5 percent of their 4 percent metric is actually our annual merit increase that is given to all Vail employees. This is based on how well you perform during the season. So they are choosing to withhold our merit-based increases right now. And that is not something that is agreed to in the contract, it’s a company merit-based increase that they give every year.”
As for the unfair labor practice complaints, local news station KPCW reports that the union is arguing Vail Resorts stalled negotiations and “failed to meet at reasonable intervals.” They also claim Vail Resorts has taken to contacting current employees and asking them to cross picket lines should a strike occur.
