Park City ski patrol union manager discusses negotiations with Vail Resorts on the SnowBrains Podcast

Ski patrollers boot-packing to the top of 9990 for avalanche mitigation work. Photo: Patrick Murphy

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association (PCPSPA) Business Manager Patrick Murphy hopped on the SnowBrains Podcast with Miles Clark to discuss the union’s recent negotiations with Vail Resorts.

A contract was settled with the company in January after more than 50 bargaining sessions. Negotiations started between the two parties in August 2020.

PCPSPA represents over 170 ski patrollers at Vail-owned Park City Mountain, representing roughly 90% of the workforce. Prior to the accepted contract proposal and vote, 98% of union members voted to approve a strike authorization.

Due to the lack of an active contract prior to the agreement, rookie patrollers were starting at $13.25 per hour, despite the resort-wide $15 per hour starting wage.

The hour-long discussion dives into Vail’s legal team, details of the contract, ski patrol unionization around the country, the role of a ski patroller, and how PCPSPA plans to use their solidarity fund to help other unions and local organizations.

Through GoFundMe, PCPSPA raised over $100,000 via over 1,700 individual donations.

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