CWA Ski Resort Workers Win Contracts with Vail Resorts

Members of the Crested Butte Lift Maintenance unit (CBLM-CWA Local 7781) and the Keystone Ski Patrol Union (KSPU-CWA Local 7781) both ratified contracts with Vail Resorts earlier this month.

Per the two-year contract, members of the CBLM-CWA unit will receive average wage increases between seventeen and thirty percent, an increase of the tool allowance to offset the price of gear, and are now able to undergo wilderness first aid training, which will augment their current basic first aid. “Our members often work in the most remote areas of the national forest,” said CBLM-CWA President and lift mechanic Thomas Pearman. “We are isolated and depend on one another. If someone gets injured, it's our union siblings who will be the first responders. This wilderness first aid may mean the difference between life and death.”

Members of KSPU-CWA Local 7781 ratified their contract last week, securing additional wage incentives for specialized skills like language interpretation and chairlift evacuation, as well as additional training opportunities for higher medical certifications, advanced avalanche education, and other specialized courses. Workers with EMT, nursing, and paramedic certifications will receive increased compensation, and all workers will see a wage compression adjustment.

KSPU-CWA negotiators drew a hard line with Vail Resorts over incentives for workers with lifesaving skills, as medical aid may be slower reaching remote areas.

"We are incredibly excited for this new contract, which includes increases in compensation for every member of our team," said KSPU-CWA Local 7781’s Jake Randall, who served on the bargaining team. "This was a long-fought negotiation with Vail, but I think we’ve come to an agreement that pleases all concerned."

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.