Updated at 10:02 a.m. on Jan. 4 to include additional statements from the Telluride ski patrol.
Telluride Ski Resort is planning to reopen on Monday, Jan. 5, after spending more than a week closed with its ski patrollers on strike. The resort announced on social media Saturday that it would run one lift with access to its bunny hill.
Also on Saturday, the resort “had a collaborative meeting” with its patrollers union, the Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association, and made a new contract offer, according to a statement issued Saturday afternoon.
“We are encouraged by the discussions today,” said spokesperson Steve Swenson in the release. “It felt like we made more progress than our previous meetings.”
The ski company said it revised its proposal to increase the base pay rate for the station leads – formerly patrol supervisors who recently joined the union – and add cost-of-living adjustments in years two and three of the contract. It also includes a “complexity pay bonus” equal to $1.50 per hour worked, including overtime, which will be paid in two installments at mid-season and the end of the season.
The resort, however, did not change the average hourly wage for other levels of patrollers. It listed those figures at an average of $24.06 per hour for trainees; $27.90 for basic level patrollers; $34.25 for those deemed advanced; and $39.60 for specialists. Station leads would be paid $41 per hour.
The union has until 5 p.m. on Sunday (Jan. 4) to respond, resort spokesperson Nancy Clark added, ahead of Monday’s reopening. “More lifts and terrain are planned to open as soon as possible pending the resolution of the negotiations,” the statement said.
Union president Graham Hoffman said by text he was actively reviewing the offer and working towards a solution, “but seeing an immediate press release before the ink is even dry doesn’t help build the already damaged trust we have in the company.” The patrol later posted a statement saying the offer didn’t bring more money to the table.
Saturday morning he confirmed the patrol remains on strike.
Reactions to the reopening online were mixed, with comments ranging from relief and excitement to frustration and disappointment. Many expressed support for the patrol and called on the resort to settle the contract dispute. Meanwhile, the Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association continued picketing at the gondola station in downtown Telluride on Saturday.
Telluride bookings plummet, anxiety rises as ski resort strike continues
Telluride Ski Resort originally opened on Dec. 6, a week later than originally planned due to an uncharacteristically warm start to the season. It closed on Dec. 27 when the ski patrollers went on strike and has since been working to recruit personnel, including medical professionals, to fill the gaps in staffing.
The union and resort have been negotiating a new contract since June, and patrollers walked off the job after rejecting an offer deemed the resort’s “last, best and final” in early December. It’s unclear if bargaining has resumed.
The resort’s closure has the potential to send the local economy, which relies heavily on tourism, into a tailspin. Most New Year’s Eve visitors kept their trips since the closure was announced with short notice, Telluride Town Manager Zoe Dohnal previously told The Denver Post, though that was expected to change as the situation wore on.
A week after the closure was announced, the number of lodging accommodations booked for the rest of the season dropped 54% year-over-year, according to the Telluride Tourism Board. Local officials have been pushing other winter activities, such as snowmobiling, snowshoeing and ice skating; however, “the reality is everyone comes to Telluride to ski,” Mayor Teddy Errico said previously.
“We only have three months left in our season. We know that the impact, if it lands, is people losing their jobs, people boarding up their restaurants,” Errico said. “But we’re doing everything in our power to mitigate those concerns.”