Telluride Ski Patrol is preparing for work stoppage if contract negotiations with the Telluride Ski Resort fail to find resolution. On Monday, the Ski Patrol Union held a \u201cpractice picket\u201d to garner support from the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a bright blue morning after the first real dump of snow in Telluride, around 30 Telluride Ski Patrollers are holding signs at the roundabout at the entrance to town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re out here, this is a practice picket, so that means we\u2019re not actually on strike right. We\u2019re showing our solidarity, our unity, and our ability to mobilize,\u201d said Jackie Kearney. She\u2019s been a Telluride Ski Patroller for the last six years and serves as the secretary for the Telluride Ski Patrol Union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is part of an effort by us, over this entire summer, but the last month or so, to put a lot more public pressure on the company and let them know that we\u2019re really serious about what we\u2019re asking for,” said Kearney. “Our hope is that the effect of doing all these movements and getting the community to be vocally supportive of us, is we can have a meaningful conversation with telluride ski and golf and reach a fair and reasonable contract for our membership.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Practice picketers are holding signs that say things like: Honk If You Support Telluride Ski Patrol<\/em>, 100% Solidarity<\/em>, and Not on Strike, Just Practicing<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Ski Patrol Union has been in contract negotiations with the Telluride Ski Resort since early June; their contract expired in August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the center of the negotiations is a request for higher wages and the ability to protect institutional knowledge from senior patrollers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a statement to KOTO, Telski officials say in October they offered a compensation package including \u201ca fair wage increase, skill-based premiums, and an increase in the equipment allowance,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The statement goes on to say \u201cmany other teams perform essential, difficult, and often dangerous work\u2014snowmaking crews, overnight groomers, lift maintenance, and lift operations. It is neither sustainable nor fair to create a special compensation category for one group under the pressure of a strike threat,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The statement concludes, \u201cwe have deep respect for our Ski Patrol and recognize their critical role in keeping the mountain safe. Our goal is to reach a fair and equitable agreement\u2014one that respects our patrol, is sustainable long-term, and protects the jobs and livelihoods of all employees who make this resort possible,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Ski Patrol Union and Telski currently have several more days of scheduled contract negotiations. Union leadership has said if they\u2019re not close to a contract by the end of the final day, they\u2019ll consider going on strike. Earlier this month, the union membership unanimously voted to authorize a work stoppage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back at the practice picket, patroller Raven Cashen notes they don\u2019t want to be considering striking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe don\u2019t want to be out here looking at a work stoppage as even an option. We want to be making money and taking care of people and doing our jobs on the mountain and skiing,\u201d Cashen said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But she hopes their collective voice can help support workers across the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA rising tide lifts all boats. Everyone at Telski deserves to be paid more. A lot of people in Telluride deserve to be paid more for their time,” said Cashen. “We can barely afford to live here. My rent is $2,000 a month. That\u2019s about what I make on ski patrol working full time. I have two other jobs so I can do this job to be here for my community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tony Daranyi has been on ski patrol at Telluride for 27 years. He says it\u2019s important there\u2019s a capable crew keeping the mountain safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe do everything from shooting a howitzer \u2013 which is a WWII vintage piece of warfare. We could be doing that in the morning. We could be running avalanche routes with explosives on our backs and an hour later you might be called to do CPR on someone having a medical emergency on the mountain. Or you might respond to somebody that\u2019s broken a femur or hurt their wrists,” said Daranyi. “All within a matter of a few hours.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n While most of the ski patrollers will say they got into the job for the love of skiing, Gary Richard says it\u2019s the people that keep him coming back. He\u2019s worked for Telski for 45 years and been a ski patroller for 41.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI like being with this group of people, much younger than I am now. It\u2019s an incredible group, strong group, that has to depend on each other. When we\u2019re working we look to each other to pick us up and help us out. It\u2019s an unbelievable group,\u201d Richard said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As cars and trucks honk on their way into town, Kearney says she hopes the community will continue to pick them up and help out ski patrol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019d love the continued support of the community. We feel like everyone really has our back right now, which has been really heartening to see. The more support we can get the better and we really hope this support can lead us coming to a contract without having to have a work stoppage,\u201d Kearney said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Ski Patrol Union and Telski have contract negotiations scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 25, and Dec. 5 and 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Telluride Ski Resort is scheduled to open for the winter season on Saturday, Dec. 6.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After the first big snow in Telluride, about 30 ski patrollers gathered for a practice picket at the town roundabout, calling for higher wages and better protections as contract negotiations with the resort continue. Patrollers say they hope public support will help push Telski toward an agreement and avoid a potential strike ahead of the winter season.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":8075,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-category":[514],"news-tag":[],"class_list":["post-8074","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-category-featured-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n