“Skiing Back to Normal: Park City and Patrollers Reach Deal, Ending Weeks-Long Strike on Utah’s Iconic Mountain”

Park City Mountain Reaches Agreement with Ski Patrollers, Ending Strike

Park City Mountain, a popular Utah resort, has reached an agreement with its ski patrollers, ending a nearly two-week-long strike that had thrown the mountain into chaos over the busy holiday season. The agreement was finalized late Wednesday evening, and ski patrollers are expected to return to work in the coming days.

The strike, which began on December 27, was sparked by demands from the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association for higher wages and better benefits. The union’s members had been working without a contract for several months, and the strike had resulted in heavy crowds, long lift lines, and limited openings at the mountain.

In a statement, Bill Rock, the president of Vail Resorts’ mountain division, said that the agreement was consistent with the company’s wage structure for all patrollers, both unionized and non-unionized, and took into account the unique terrain and avalanche complexity of Park City Mountain. Rock also apologized to guests who were impacted by the strike and thanked the team who worked hard to keep the mountain open and operating safely during the past two weeks.

The Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association announced that its members had unanimously ratified the agreement, saying that it had secured a contract with a wage structure and benefits package that incentivizes retention and career growth on patrol. The union also praised the agreement as a great success for everyone in the ski and mountain industry, saying that it was a clear example of what can be achieved when workers stand together and fight for what they deserve.

Under the agreement, Vail Resorts will prioritize certain terrain at the mountain, including Tombstone, Dream Peak, and McConkey’s, and will continue snowmaking efforts, including on the Town runs. Currently, there are 111 runs open at Park City out of the resort’s total 350 trails, more than the 80 runs open at the mountain last week.

Ski patrollers are responsible for mountain safety, including monitoring slow zones and high traffic areas, leading avalanche mitigation, responding to medical and safety incidents, and monitoring conditions on the mountain, among other duties.

FAQ:

Q: Why did the ski patrollers go on strike?
A: The ski patrollers went on strike to demand higher wages and better benefits.

Q: How long did the strike last?
A: The strike lasted nearly two weeks, from December 27 to January 12.

Q: What were the main issues in the strike?
A: The main issues in the strike were higher wages and better benefits for the ski patrollers.

Q: What is the agreement that was reached?
A: The agreement reached between Park City Mountain and the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association is consistent with the company’s wage structure for all patrollers, both unionized and non-unionized, and takes into account the unique terrain and avalanche complexity of Park City Mountain.

Q: What will happen to the ski patrollers now that the strike is over?
A: The ski patrollers are expected to return to work in the coming days.

Conclusion:

The agreement between Park City Mountain and the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association is a positive step forward for both parties. The ski patrollers have secured a contract with a wage structure and benefits package that incentivizes retention and career growth on patrol, and the mountain has reached an agreement that is consistent with its wage structure for all patrollers. The strike was a disruption to the mountain’s operations, but the agreement reached will allow the ski patrollers to return to work and the mountain to continue to operate safely and efficiently.