PARK CITY, Utah (ABC4) — After 10 months of negotiations and nearly two weeks of ski patrollers going on strike against Vail Resorts, the two parties have reached a new agreement. Ski patrollers are expected to return to work on Thursday, Jan. 9.
“This milestone contract marks the conclusion of an unprecedented strike at the largest ski resort in the United States,” the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association said in a press release Tuesday night.
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The new contract passed after members unanimously voted in favor of ratification. Both the PCPSPA and Vail Resorts issued statements on Wednesday, Jan. 8, after the new contract was agreed upon.
“We look forward to welcoming back the Park City Mountain patrollers in the coming days and moving forward together as one team,” President of Vail Resorts’ Mountian Division Bill Rock said.
The ski patrol association said the terms of the new agreement address some of the “critical concerns” of its members.
The first point that was addressed was raising the base pay of entry-level patrollers and other safety personnel by $2 per hour. Experienced patrollers will see an average wage increase of $4 per hour, with some roles seeing an average of $7.75 per hour, according to the PCPSPA.
Vail Resorts said the union was seeking increases of wages and benefits “that went far beyond $2/hour” but also said it considers “all our team members across all our mountain resorts” when making decisions about pay.
“Base wages for returning Park City Mountain patrollers went up 3%, consistent with all other employees across the company for the year,” Vail Resorts said. “The entry-level, base wage start rate for patrollers remains $21/hour.”
The new contract also includes new policies regarding parental leave and a “restructured wage scale,” in addition to wage parity with Vail Resorts that are non-unionized, according to the PCPSPA.
“The road to this agreement was anything but easy,” 17-year patroller Seth Dromgoole said. “This contract is more than just a win for our team—it’s a groundbreaking success in the ski and mountain worker industry.”
The Executive Board of the PCPSPA expressed gratitude to its members and the community for their solidarity, dedication, and support.
“The ratification of this contract after ten long months of negotiations is a step toward strengthening our patrol and mountain safety teams and fostering a safer, more financially-sustainable workplace,” seven-year ski patroller and PCPSPA President Kate Lips said.
The association said it is now focused on a “smooth transition” back to normal operations at Park City Mountain.
“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,” Rock said.
On Wednesday night, Park City Mayor Nann Worel and the Park City Council also issued a statement about the resolution of the strike.
“The Council and I are relieved and grateful for the strike’s resolution,” the statement reads, in part. “This challenging time has highlighted the power of civility and mutual respect in overcoming our issues.”