Telluride Ski Resort in Colorado to close Saturday due to labor dispute
Telluride, a renowned ski resort in the Western U.S., is facing closure in the near future due to a labor dispute between the ski patrol union and the resort owner. The Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association recently voted to go on strike on Saturday after unsuccessful contract negotiations that began in June. As a result, Telluride Ski Resort has announced that it will not open on the scheduled day.
Owner Chuck Horning expressed his concern over the impact of the strike on the community, stating that it is disheartening to see an organization meant to assist people take such drastic action. While there is no definite timeline for how long the closure will last, resort officials are working on a contingency plan to reopen even if the strike continues.
The main point of contention in the labor dispute is the discrepancy in pay between Telluride ski patrollers and their counterparts at other resorts in the region. The union is advocating for an increase in starting pay from $21 to $28 per hour and a raise for experienced patrollers from $30-$36 per hour to $39-$48.60 per hour.
While resort officials have attempted to shift the blame onto the union, spokesperson Andy Dennis of the patrollers’ association believes that owner Chuck Horning is the one responsible for the impending closure. He accuses Horning of being a bully and insists that a fair contract would resolve the issue.
Ski patrollers play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of visitors, from attending to injured skiers to managing controlled avalanches. They argue that the high cost of living in ski towns justifies their demand for higher pay.
In addition to the labor dispute, Telluride has been facing challenges this season due to unusually warm weather, which has limited the opening of only 20 out of 149 trails. This situation has further exacerbated the impact of the strike on the resort.
This labor dispute is not an isolated incident, as ski patrollers across the Rocky Mountain region have been considering unionizing. Last year, a strike at Utah’s Park City Mountain Resort resulted in long lift lines and closed runs until Colorado-based Vail Resorts agreed to the demands of the ski patrollers, including a base pay increase and raises for senior patrollers.
The closure of Telluride Ski Resort highlights the importance of fair labor practices in the ski industry and the need for fruitful negotiations between resort owners and ski patrol unions to ensure the well-being of both employees and visitors.
