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First off, don't go supporting Vail Resorts in any way - don't buy a $300 lift ticket or $25 chicken tenders. But if you've signed a deal with the devil and already sunk your money in an Epic Pass, get out there and give them hell! Tear down rope lines, steal signs, spray or throw snowballs at any patroller you see on the hill - they're either a scab or management working directly for the resort! Go poach closed terrain (safely), call in false reports and send them on wild goose chases. Anything you can do to send the message that they are NOT WELCOME.
If you’ve already given them your money and have to you can clog up the scab patrol for unimportant reasons: little kid wiped out and crying that they want to quit, they require a sled.
See a family searching for a phone under the lift? That’s a group in distress on the liftline, one of the parents looks like they broke their arm or something.
Slam in the park and get right back up? No you didn’t, your ankles are broken, yell it loud enough that a few people call it in
Friends gone down to the lodge for a break? Are you sure you didn’t see them go into those glades and they didn’t come out at the top of the triple? They could be lost in a tree well. 🥸
**This post was edited on Dec 28th 2024 at 8:21:21am
**This post was edited on Dec 28th 2024 at 8:22:12am
I've read that many of the patrollers are from other Vail resorts. Any chance they're being forced to work at PCMR and it's not their choice? It's possible their contracts (which may be with Vail and not a specific resort) have language about needing to work where there's an operational requirement.
Any current PCMR patrollers that are not in the picket line are salaried/management patrol that are FTYR. I am sure almost every one of them want to stand with their others in line, but they can't.
Any patrollers that were brought in from other resorts (scabs) I personally think are crossing the picket line. Sure, they are getting paid a bunch, free housing, the whole 9 yards. But you are turning your back on other patrollers. It is a matter of time before all Vail resort patrollers (and lift mechanics) will all be unionized company wide. So any scabs, your time is coming.
While I don't think fucking up rope lines and signs is the answer, I think strongly voicing your opinion to any working scabs would not be a bad thing.
The mass crowds, unhappy guests, social media coming unglued on the PCMR platforms is speaking some volume. I just hope more transient guests make future decisions with their wallet.
On a given holiday like we are in, there is upwards of 20,000+ skier visits across both PMCR/Canhole. After seeing pictures, hearing stories and seeing the social backlash of yesterday, I think a lot of those 20,000 guests are not thrilled and I am sure they are thinking of where to go on their next vacation.
Besides patrol striking, there is also just no open terrain for the crowds. Shit winter so far, overselling of passes, holiday week. Snowstorm inbound. Even if patrol was there and fully staffed there would still be issues, but with the strike going on, it just makes it worse, which is awesome.
SkiBum.Any current PCMR patrollers that are not in the picket line are salaried/management patrol that are FTYR. I am sure almost every one of them want to stand with their others in line, but they can't.
Any patrollers that were brought in from other resorts (scabs) I personally think are crossing the picket line. Sure, they are getting paid a bunch, free housing, the whole 9 yards. But you are turning your back on other patrollers. It is a matter of time before all Vail resort patrollers (and lift mechanics) will all be unionized company wide. So any scabs, your time is coming.
While I don't think fucking up rope lines and signs is the answer, I think strongly voicing your opinion to any working scabs would not be a bad thing.
The mass crowds, unhappy guests, social media coming unglued on the PCMR platforms is speaking some volume. I just hope more transient guests make future decisions with their wallet.
On a given holiday like we are in, there is upwards of 20,000+ skier visits across both PMCR/Canhole. After seeing pictures, hearing stories and seeing the social backlash of yesterday, I think a lot of those 20,000 guests are not thrilled and I am sure they are thinking of where to go on their next vacation.
Besides patrol striking, there is also just no open terrain for the crowds. Shit winter so far, overselling of passes, holiday week. Snowstorm inbound. Even if patrol was there and fully staffed there would still be issues, but with the strike going on, it just makes it worse, which is awesome.
Are you saying that the PCMR full time year round patrollers are not part of the union?
midwestcoastAre you saying that the PCMR full time year round patrollers are not part of the union?
Correct. I believe just the hourly patrollers are the unionized and ones striking. There are numerous salaried management members of the patrol team. Something like a patrol director, probably a patrol manager for each side, snow safety manager and director maybe, possibly some salaried "team leads/manages"
There is an article somewhere that outlines this better, this is just my memory I am typing away from.
If anyone has ever been in the equipment or construction business that is union it would be similar to like your project manager or engineer, owner, managers, division heads - they are all non union. Your equipment engineers, teamsters etc are unionized.
Thanks for clarifying. I just assumed it was top down when they unionized. I have friends that worked for Breck Patrol when they unionized and I guess I didn't ask enough questions...
coronaI've read that many of the patrollers are from other Vail resorts. Any chance they're being forced to work at PCMR and it's not their choice? It's possible their contracts (which may be with Vail and not a specific resort) have language about needing to work where there's an operational requirement.
There flight and hotel is paid for + making more than ski patrol was making. I think there's a bonus too. So not forced just incentivized by $$$
midwestcoastAre you saying that the PCMR full time year round patrollers are not part of the union?
Yes that’s correct.
they talk about it in this new IG post if you need confirmation.
Pretty standard practice for unions- management is who they are unionized against so anyone with powers like hiring/firing can’t also be in the union. Even current members would have to “shelf” their membership if they wanted to move into a management role, red jacket or otherwise. The seasonal patrollers are fighting for their contracts, but there are full timers who may wear the same jacket but do completely different things and aren’t union. They can’t strike but no doubt are in private solidarity. Go easy on them, you don’t know who is who. It’s been a hard week for everyone there I bet. hopefully especially for Vail corporate and any genuine scabs flying in for that 600/day
they talk about it in this new IG post if you need confirmation.
Pretty standard practice for unions- management is who they are unionized against so anyone with powers like hiring/firing can’t also be in the union. Even current members would have to “shelf” their membership if they wanted to move into a management role, red jacket or otherwise. The seasonal patrollers are fighting for their contracts, but there are full timers who may wear the same jacket but do completely different things and aren’t union. They can’t strike but no doubt are in private solidarity. Go easy on them, you don’t know who is who. It’s been a hard week for everyone there I bet. hopefully especially for Vail corporate and any genuine scabs flying in for that 600/day
How has it been a hard week? 80% of the terrain is closed it's only groomers sure there might be the odd collision but they aren't taking sleds way the fuck out of bounds.
First off vail prices their tickets to drive people towards subscription models aka season passes. So you will not be doing shit.
Second, any financial harm you could cause, if it somehow managed to actually matter (which it wouldn't), would only serve to be passed on as a cost to current employees and current and future passholders. Think reduced benefits, wages, higher costs, reduced maintenance frequency, modified operating hours, etc. This happens all the time in every sector (prime example is healthcare costs, with labor inflation being a core aspect for eroding margins).
Lastly, don't hate on people (your scabs) making a living at the poverty line, whose sole job is to keep you from dying or save your ass when you get fucked up. You don't know their personal reasons, financial situation, or even if this was required or be homeless as an alternative. When it comes down to it, no single person except Ghandi is gonna go hungry for someone else they don't know.
It's pretty wild this is still going on. Hopefully both sides can sit down like adults and come to a constructive solution that satisfies both parties. The type of behavior described in the thread is not that.
they talk about it in this new IG post if you need confirmation.
Pretty standard practice for unions- management is who they are unionized against so anyone with powers like hiring/firing can’t also be in the union. Even current members would have to “shelf” their membership if they wanted to move into a management role, red jacket or otherwise.
By law (NRLA), management cannot be part of a union even if they wanted to.
These scabs are pretty pathetic it doesn't take patrollers to open a fucking ski lift. Sure keep all the ropes you want up but let people ride chairs and ski groomers you complete embarrassments.
PeppermillRenoThese scabs are pretty pathetic it doesn't take patrollers to open a fucking ski lift. Sure keep all the ropes you want up but let people ride chairs and ski groomers you complete embarrassments.
you dont know anything about running a ski resort dude, just stop talking about shit you have no clue about
First off vail prices their tickets to drive people towards subscription models aka season passes. So you will not be doing shit.
Second, any financial harm you could cause, if it somehow managed to actually matter (which it wouldn't), would only serve to be passed on as a cost to current employees and current and future passholders. Think reduced benefits, wages, higher costs, reduced maintenance frequency, modified operating hours, etc. This happens all the time in every sector (prime example is healthcare costs, with labor inflation being a core aspect for eroding margins).
Lastly, don't hate on people (your scabs) making a living at the poverty line, whose sole job is to keep you from dying or save your ass when you get fucked up. You don't know their personal reasons, financial situation, or even if this was required or be homeless as an alternative. When it comes down to it, no single person except Ghandi is gonna go hungry for someone else they don't know.
It's pretty wild this is still going on. Hopefully both sides can sit down like adults and come to a constructive solution that satisfies both parties. The type of behavior described in the thread is not that.
Honestly impressed by some of these takes.
Dude, it was literally just Christmas week. That. Feb break and MLK weekend are mtns bread and butter. That literally can make a mountains season. Also this is the time when people take vacations out west. It's one of the busiest times of the year and many people absolutely do buy a couple of day tickets to ski while they're "out west".
Also the amount of concessions sold that week is insanse. If they reduce services or raise prices that's still not great for them either.Sure people who are going on a trip still ended up there but this is hella bad PR and its national. The friggin new york times and cnn posted about it. People that have never skied know about this.
The only thing VR cares about is hurting their bottom line, and this absolutely is doing this.
I don't understand this angle of "You're just fucking over other emplpyees" A lot of other emplpyees are stoked. Hell people at mtns all over are stoked. Anyone getting a raise eventually helps the whole industry.
The only reason Vail and Altera made it $20 is the insanse difficulties finding employees for anythint less. Covid really showed that with the lack of J1s to fill in the gaps. Even woth the industries heavy reliance on J1s, many mtns are still short in several departmens.
You can make enough money in many ski towns working several other jobs to make more $$$ and still be able to afford a season pass.
The health care industry is dogshit because of greedy insurance companies and the giant circle jerk of operating it. People sit in offices getting paid to call or email each other to figure out if people are "in network" and then probably deny them anyway. That's the fat that needs to get trimmed. It's not because nurses are making too much money. Also, shit's kind of necessary, so it's probably good to try and pay enough people to be on staff. And honestly many places were or are hella short staffed which is bad news. We could literally pay less and have better healthcare. Fuck the insurance cimpanies.
Sure financial insentives are dope when you're poor, but they're literally flying people in from other mtns. Those people are already employed for Vail. They're ski patrollers who know that there's a strike and are going to PC to say fuck you to the PC patrol guys on strike for some $$$. Like I said before, them getting a raise is good for every emplpyee at mtns, especially ski patrollers at their other Vail mtns.
It seems like they aren't getting many to do it anyway judging by the lack of terrain open.
/rant
This thread has some surprising L takes.I don't work ski patrol, but I've worked in the ski industry every northern hem season sonce I turned 14 so this is 21 I think? 6 or 7 southern hem seasons, a few summer seasons at hood.
I've worked at many different mtns including the biggest and the smallest, seen the differences in pay, many changes in the industry.
I remember just before the raise to $20 they were starting many employees at $12. I think base line cat operator was a whopping $13. In Tahoe rent was commonly 800 to 1000. Taco bell was starting at 17, gas stations were 20.
I moved to WA because they fucked up a raise and you legit can't live on that in a ski town laying 1k for rent. WA offered me $350 housing where i could walk to work and ride to my door and $21. I jumped on that shit.
I was already making over $20 when the Vail and Alterra raises went into effect a couple years ago. Sure there was compression which sucks(and is still an issue) But those raises were still good for the industry and bumped everyone up.
If they get this raise it's good for them, good for the industry, and good to have a W on the side of the workforce going against a shit corp like Vail.
Idk,some of the takes in this thread are wildly out if touch imo.
