Park City Mountain Ski Patrol Ends 13-Day Strike, Secures $2 Hourly Pay Increase

On Thursday, Park City Mountain ski patrol members in Utah resumed work following the resort's decision to enhance their wages by $2 per hour, culminating a 13-day strike that caused significant inconveniences for customers due to prolonged ski lift wait times.

Details of the New Contract

The newly established contract, effective until 2027, sets the starting salary for entry-level ski patrollers and mountain safety employees at $23 per hour, as per the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association, representing 200 personnel at the nation's largest ski resort. Additionally, seasoned members of the ski patrol will receive an average increase of $4 per hour, as reported by the union.

Resolution of the Strike

The joint statement from the resort and the union announced, "The tentative agreement addresses both parties’ interests and will end the current strike." They expressed eagerness to restore normal resort operations.

Ski patrol members are pivotal in conducting mountain safety operations, including avalanche mitigation and responding to medical emergencies.

Impact of the Strike

The negotiation process lasted eight months before the union initiated the strike on December 27. The resort's limited operations during the strike period caused discontent among numerous guests, particularly those who had traveled long distances with their families to visit the resort.

Frustrations of Visitors

One frustrated visitor, Peter Nystrom from Minnesota, expressed his dismay at spending over $20,000 to send his family of eight to the resort only to encounter information about the strike, enduring three-hour ski lift lines, and concerns about potentially unsafe mountain conditions. He voiced his disappointment over the lack of transparency regarding the situation and highlighted the distress it caused.

End of the Strike

In response to the conclusion of the patrol union strike, city officials expressed their delight and welcomed back the patrol members. Furthermore, they assured the public that more terrain would open up swiftly at the resort.