Keystone Ski Patrol Submit Petition For Unionization

Earlier this month, a majority of ski patrollers at Keystone Resort, Colorado, chose to officially begin forming a union by filing a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Seventy percent of eligible patrollers expressed support for a union formation election during this phase by signing authorization cards.

Should it form, the union will be recognized as the Keystone Ski Patrol Union (KSPU) within Local 7781, a Communication Workers of America (CWA) ski patrol subdivision. The CWA is a national union composed of 1,200 locals.

From here, there are two possible avenues to official union formation.

One, Vail Resorts—Keystone's owner—voluntarily recognizes the nascent union, initiating the contract bargaining phase (the KPSU has asked Vail for voluntary recognition).

Or, two, Vail doesn't offer voluntary recognition, triggering a union election with NLRB. In this case, the KSPU would need 50% plus one of its patrollers to vote yes for the union to form.

In a press release shared with POWDER, the KSPU noted that patrollers face stagnating wages and a high cost of living, making longevity in their chosen careers appear untenable.

With the formation of a union, they hope to secure a position at the bargaining table alongside their employers.

"We live in some of the most expensive towns in the world, so our community faces very unique economic challenges," said Jake Randall, a 5th year patroller at Keystone. "So, we have patrollers that don't feel adequately compensated for the investment they've made into this career."

Vail Resorts hasn't publicly commented on the KSPU's efforts.

Several other ski patrol teams across the United States have chosen to file for union representation this season, including those employed at Palisades Tahoe, California, and Eldora Resort, Colorado.

While the KSPU failed a union vote in 2021, it noted in the press release that it's "back and ready to win."

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