Ski patrol union frustrated with negotiation timeline
Ski patrol manager Keagan Zoellner rewards avalanche dog, Cleo, with a game of tug-of-war after Cleo locates a scent article buried in the snow, Jan. 17. (Mackenzie Reiss/Daily Inter Lake)
Contract negotiations between the recently formed Whitefish Mountain Resort ski patrol union and resort executives remained unfinished as the ski season opened Thursday, with the union president saying that a mid-season picket or strike could be on table if talks don’t move forward.
Whitefish Mountain Resort Professional Ski Patrol filed a petition in February with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize under the United Professional Ski Patrols of America. The union represents more than 700 members across nine ski resorts.
Most patrollers supported unionizing with the goals of increased compensation, expanding the yearly gear allowance, creating opportunities for continuing education, health care stipends and paid time off. In a March 2024 vote, 88% of eligible patrollers voted for unionizing, with 2 abstained votes and only one against. *
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