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Telluride Ski Patrol is preparing for a work stoppage if contract negotiations with the Telluride Ski Resort fail to find resolution. On Monday, the Ski Patrol Union held a “practice picket” to garner support from the community.
On a bright blue morning after the first real dump of snow in Telluride, around 30 Telluride Ski Patrollers are holding signs at the roundabout at the entrance to town.
“We’re out here, this is a practice picket, so that means we’re not actually on strike right. We’re showing our solidarity, our unity, and our ability to mobilize,” said Jackie Kearney. She’s been a Telluride Ski Patroller for the last six years and serves as the secretary for the Telluride Ski Patrol Union.
“This is part of an effort by us, over this entire summer, but the last month or so, to put a lot more public pressure on the company and let them know that we’re really serious about what we’re asking for,” said Kearney. “Our hope is that the effect of doing all these movements and getting the community to be vocally supportive of us, is we can have a meaningful conversation with Telluride Ski and Golf and reach a fair and reasonable contract for our membership.”
Practice picketers are holding signs that say things like: Honk If You Support Telluride Ski Patrol, 100% Solidarity, and Not on Strike, Just Practicing.
The Ski Patrol Union has been in contract negotiations with the Telluride Ski Resort since early June; their contract expired in August.
At the center of the negotiations is a request for higher wages and the ability to protect institutional knowledge from senior patrollers.
In a statement to KOTO, Telski officials say in October they offered a compensation package including “a fair wage increase, skill-based premiums, and an increase in the equipment allowance,” the statement said.
The statement goes on to say, “many other teams perform essential, difficult, and often dangerous work—snowmaking crews, overnight groomers, lift maintenance, and lift operations. It is neither sustainable nor fair to create a special compensation category for one group under the pressure of a strike threat,” the statement said.
The statement concludes, “We have deep respect for our Ski Patrol and recognize their critical role in keeping the mountain safe. Our goal is to reach a fair and equitable agreement—one that respects our patrol, is sustainable long-term, and protects the jobs and livelihoods of all employees who make this resort possible,” the statement said.
The Ski Patrol Union and Telski currently have several more days of scheduled contract negotiations. Union leadership has said that if they’re not close to a contract by the end of the final day, they’ll consider going on strike. Earlier this month, the union membership unanimously voted to authorize a work stoppage.
Back at the practice picket, patroller Raven Cashen notes they don’t want to be considering striking.
“We don’t want to be out here looking at a work stoppage as even an option. We want to be making money and taking care of people and doing our jobs on the mountain and skiing,” Cashen said.
But she hopes their collective voice can help support workers across the community.
“A rising tide lifts all boats. Everyone at Telski deserves to be paid more. A lot of people in Telluride deserve to be paid more for their time,” said Cashen. “We can barely afford to live here. My rent is $2,000 a month. That’s about what I make on ski patrol working full-time. I have two other jobs so I can do this job to be here for my community.”
Tony Daranyi has been on ski patrol at Telluride for 27 years. He says it’s important there’s a capable crew keeping the mountain safe.
“We do everything from shooting a howitzer – which is a WWII vintage piece of warfare. We could be doing that in the morning. We could be running avalanche routes with explosives on our backs and an hour later, you might be called to do CPR on someone having a medical emergency on the mountain. Or you might respond to somebody who’s broken a femur or hurt their wrists,” said Daranyi. “All within a matter of a few hours.”
While most of the ski patrollers will say they got into the job for the love of skiing, Gary Richard says it’s the people who keep him coming back. He’s worked for Telski for 45 years and been a ski patroller for 41.
“I like being with this group of people, much younger than I am now. It’s an incredible group, a strong group that has to depend on each other. When we’re working, we look to each other to pick us up and help us out. It’s an unbelievable group,” Richard said.
As cars and trucks honk on their way into town, Kearney says she hopes the community will continue to pick them up and help out ski patrol.
“We’d love the continued support of the community. We feel like everyone really has our back right now, which has been really heartening to see. The more support we can get, the better, and we really hope this support can lead us coming to a contract without having to have a work stoppage,” Kearney said.
The Ski Patrol Union and Telski have contract negotiations scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 25, and Dec. 5 and 6.
The Telluride Ski Resort is scheduled to open for the winter season on Saturday, Dec. 6.
