Almost two years to the day since Breckenridge Ski Resort’s ski patrol union reached its first contract agreement in 2021 with its employer, Vail Resorts, the union has settled on a new contract in 2023.
The first contract was officially ratified on Dec. 14, 2021, and for the most part was a smooth process between the union and Vail Resorts representatives.
“COVID took a lot of stress fractures in all industries — but definitely in the snowsports industry and the ski and vacation industry,” Breckenridge ski patrol union president Ryan Dineen said. “Like everybody, we were incredibly understaffed. Working under the complications of COVID was tough. It kind of highlighted a lot of the disparities that we were dealing with of being the ground floor laborers that are generating the wealth that is being extracted from our communities.”
The first contract focused primarily on wage increases, employee housing, parking for patrollers closer to work and education and training requirements. The contract also ensured that ski patrollers are no longer at-will employees, meaning that ski patrollers cannot be fired without due process.
“We were looking to push pretty hard to make fair gains,” Dineen said. “Considering the positive financial position that Vail Resorts is in, we felt that as the workers that generate this wealth we were deserving of more of it. Through that contract process, we have managed to make reasonable gains for the vast majority of our patrollers.”
Although Breckenridge Ski Resort’s patrollers union was pleased and grateful for its initial contract with Vail Resorts, Dineen and the rest of the union felt they needed to negotiate a new contract agreement by the end of this year.
The second time around, the patrol union focused primarily on the compression that took place in employee wages when Breckenridge Ski Resort raised base wages to $20 an hour for new frontline workers and $21 an hour for ski patrollers or lift mechanics.
“What they did when they did that is compress,” Dineen said. “They didn’t then take that same gains of the entry-level patroller … and also make sure somebody who had been here for 10 years or 25 years also saw some type of gain out of that wage gain. Most people were compressed heavily to the point where they saw maybe a 6% increase if they were already over that base wage increase.”
With a goal to address the compression, the union hoped wage increases would help retain quality patrollers who have put a decade or more of their lives into the profession and into the public-facing product of the resort through a new contract.
After going through a couple bargaining agreements, the union worked with Vail Resorts and settled on a tentative contract, which was then opened up for voting among ownership on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 28.
Through a four-day electronic vote, the new contract was successfully ratified with an overwhelming amount of support. Approximately 97% of voters voted in favor of ratification.
“We are pleased to have come to an agreement with the Breckenridge Ski Patrol union,” Breckenridge Ski Resort Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jon Copeland said in a statement. “We all look forward to focusing on executing an incredible season and providing a great experience for our guests and employees. Everyone worked through the process collaboratively, with respect and positive intent.”
The statement said the new agreement is consistent with Vail Resorts’ compensation approach for patrol across all of its resorts.
Dineen was pleased to see the support from Vail Resorts and hopes that the successful contract agreement leads to more ski patrol teams advocating for themselves via unions. Dineen said the efforts of the Breckenridge ski patrol union would not be possible without the work of previously established unions like those at Crested Butte, Big Ski and Telluride.
“We owe a lot to them for blazing the trail,” Dineen said. “We are also trying to increase our visibility. Our mission as unionists is clear. Our mission is to unionize the whole industry because that is the only way we are going to make true, career-level changes. We are dedicated to that.”
According to Dineen, the union was told during negotiations that if it benefited too much from the contract that the agreement would mobilize other departments and ski resorts to unionize. The union viewed the comment as a “leverage piece” and proceeded to pursue a successful contract agreement that will invigorate other ski resorts to do the same.
“As we get to 2024, the tide is shifting, and we want to be part of that shift,” Dineen said.