Telluride Ski resort. Photo: Murray Foubister // Wikimedia Commons
Tense negotiations between Telluride owners and workers have finally come to a resolution, at least for now. This week, Telluride Ski Resort and the Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association (TPSPA) came to an agreement, ending the patrollers’ strike in time for the resort to re-open this weekend.
Negotiations between the parties first began when the contract between the TPSPA and the resort expired at the end of August. In November, the union’s 72 members voted unanimously to authorize a strike after a deal had still not been reached. In December, all but one of the union members rejected resort owner Chuck Horning’s “last, best and final offer,” leading to a work stoppage on December 27.
Among the major sticking points between the two parties, the union sought to “fix a broken wage structure” with a $7 raise in starting pay, from $21 to $28 per hour, as well as an increase from $30-$36 per hour to $39-$48.60 per hour for patrollers with more than 30 years of experience. TPSPA reported the gap between their proposal and Telluride’s as $65,000 over a three-year contract, while The Colorado Sun reported it as $115,000.
As the Associated Press reports, neither the resort nor the ski patrol union divulged details of the new deal. However, a statement from TPSPA on social media hinted that, while the new contract was better than the one offered before the strike, not all their demands had been met.
“The TPSPA had a lengthy discourse as a group over our compromise and new contract,” wrote the union. “While we are ultimately very disappointed to not address our broken wage structure, we are immensely proud of our efforts that have led to this financial movement. We are even prouder of the recognition and implementation of our supervisors into the unit.
“From the very beginning of this process, we strived to create a wage structure that properly creates a sustainable career path. The ‘No’ votes in our ratification speak to the severity of this issue. A fair wage structure would provide stability and security with a clear future for our current and future members. Increased retention equals increased safety. No work stoppage is painless and all compromises are uncomfortable. In the end, we recognize TS’s movement that led us to a contract we can be proud of.”
