Montana
Big Sky ski patrollers form union
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Big Sky ski patrollers now have a union after a recent representation vote passed 69 to 21.
Ski patrollers said one of the main reasons for unionizing was to make ski patrolling a career that can be done long-term in a place growing in population and price at the rate Big Sky is.
“We love ski patrolling, we love Lone Mountain, we love the community at Big Sky and our goal is to make ski patrolling a sustainable career by working with the resort to increase wages, benefits and working conditions,” said Florence Miller, a member of the organizing committee who has worked as a patroller at Big Sky for three years. “As Big Sky and the region have grown, the cost of living in the region has increased. By unionizing, we are hoping to negotiate wages and benefits that grow with the community we work in.”
According to documents filed with the National Labor Relations Board, a signed RC petition was filed with the NLRB on February 25, 2021. An RC petition is a petition for representation and must have the signatures of at least 30% of eligible employees. Notice of an all-mail representation election was posted on March 24, and ballots were tallied on April 29. According to documents acquired by the Chronicle, just over 100 employees were eligible to vote.
The election may have been a recent event, but patrollers said it was a long time coming.
“The decision to try and unionize Big Sky Ski Patrol was difficult and one that was not taken lightly,” said Noah Ronczkowski in an email to the Chronicle. Ronczkowski has worked in ski patrol at Big Sky for 15 years and is part of the organizing committee. “It did not happen overnight, and in fact, took 7 years to come to.”
The newly formed union is part of the United Professionals Ski Patrols of America, which also represents unionized ski patrollers at Crested Butte, Park City, Steamboat, Telluride and Stevens Pass resorts. UPSPA is part of the Union Communication Workers of America, an AFL-CIO organization.
Ronczkowski and Miller both said that livable wages and working conditions will help keep long-term employees at the resort.
“Ski patrolling requires a large and varied skill set, including avalanche mitigation, medical risk management and guest interactions, and Lone Mountain has complex large alpine and subalpine terrain that requires experience to safely work in,” Miller said. “Creating these better wages and benefits that encourage the retention of experience on our patrol helps increase the safety of patrol as well as the safety of other employees and guests on the mountain.”
The next steps will be organizing a bargaining committee to negotiate a contract with Big Sky, Miller said.
“Everyone wants what’s best for Big Sky, the employees and our patrol,” she said.
In a statement sent to the Chronicle, Big Sky Resort General Manager Troy Nedved echoed that sentiment.
“We respect and appreciate the thoughtful discussions our Ski Patrol team has had while in the union organization process,” Nedved wrote. “Ultimately, we are one team that shares a common passion for skiing in Big Sky, and we are committed to moving forward and working together to provide the best workplace possible.”
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