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.
