TL;DR
Telluride Ski Resort remains closed with no reopening date set as ski patrol union members strike for better wages. The Colorado resort shut its doors after patrollers rejected a 23% pay increase offer, holding out for 30-35% rises. All mountain access is closed day and night as the labour dispute continues.
Colorado's Telluride Ski Resort has entered its second consecutive day of closure with no reopening date in sight as the resort's ski patrol union holds firm on strike action demanding substantial wage increases.
The Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association is seeking hourly wage increases between 30% and 35%. Management's most recent counteroffer of a 23% hourly increase has been rejected by patrol members, leaving the resort at a standstill.
Why Ski Patrol Are Striking
The dispute centres on wages that patrol members argue don't reflect the specialist nature of their work or the cost of living in the area. Many patrollers work multiple jobs to make ends meet, with some running side businesses during the winter season just to survive on patrol wages.
Katherine Devlin, speaking on behalf of the patrol, highlighted the complexity of the work required at Telluride. The resort's big mountain terrain combined with Colorado's notoriously dangerous snowpack demands extensive training, specialist skills and accumulated knowledge that takes years to develop.
"This patrol is highly regarded among the industry. We will lose that regard unless we can fix the wage structure to increase retention," Devlin said.
