The Eldora Ski Patrol joined the seemingly ever-growing list of ski patrollers seeking unionization back in October. Back then, 71% of patrollers and medics on the mountain reportedly voted in favor of holding a National Labor Relations Board union election, targeting November for when the election would occur.
That election, as of early February, has still not occurred. According to Denver 7, the National Labor Relations Board is still working out when to schedule the union election date. According to the Eldora Ski Patrol Union Instagram, the delay is a result of a strong anti-union campaign against the group.
“It has been a slow and painful process leading up to our election date (Still TBD). We have been told by our counterparts at the CWA that we are dealing with the worst anti union campaign they have seen. We are still standing strong and are excited to try and create a better future for our patrol.” – Eldora PSPA
Denver 7 reports that, according to Eldora ski patroller Nick Lansing, ski patrollers on the mountain still lack the compensation required to stay in the area season-to-season, especially as cost of living continues to rise. This, in the eyes of the ski patrollers, should be considered a safety concern.
“If anything goes wrong when you’re out on a ski trip, we’re the ones who take care of that, have your back and get you down the mountain as safely as possible.” – Nick Lansing
Lansing states that 75% of Eldora’s full-time patrollers have been on the mountain for three years. Despite the medical training and certifications required for the job, the lack of on-mountain experience means guests just aren’t as safe while skiing and snowboarding. The patrollers hope to use the union to negotiate higher pay and safer work conditions, ideally convincing patrollers to stay at the mountain year-after-year.
According to an Eldora spokesperson, however, 85% of patrollers currently working on the mountain have worked there at least one year prior. A union, in the eyes of the resort, would benefit neither the employees nor the guests. Eldora patrollers start at $19/hr as new hires and are bumped to $20.50/hr once pre-season training is complete. Pay bumps are also available for higher experienced patrollers or those with more certifications.
Related: Eldora Ski Patrollers To Vote On Unionization
Image Credit: Eldora PSPA via Instagram