Jackson Hole Ski Patrol announced the decision Friday on Instagram. “After a vote, we have chosen as a team not to unionize at this time,” they wrote. “The petition and vote have created space for dialogue and to give new ownership the opportunity to listen and respond. Above all, we want to thank the ski community for the overwhelming support. We’ll see you on the hill.”
As Jackson Hole News & Guide reports, 90 patrollers voted on the matter. Sixteen of the ballots were challenged and thus not counted, due to being cast by new hires or management. This left 74 ballots that ultimately split 42-32 against unionization. After the motion failed, organizers contacted the 16 members whose votes weren’t counted and found that it still would not have changed the outcome.
The push for unionization began in November, when patrollers submitted a petition for a union representation election with the National Labor Relations Board. The petition was backed by 93 percent of the patrollers. However, while the decision signaled a willingness of the majority of the workforce to consider unionization, this most recent vote proves that the actual desire to follow through on that sentiment was less definitive.
Still, the vote comes amid an industry wide push towards collective bargaining. Most recently, the unionized ski patrollers of Telluride entered negotiations for the renewal of their contract with the resort. The result was a 13-day work stoppage that ultimately ended when Telluride owner Chuck Horning agreed to an undisclosed deal that improved upon his previous “last, best and final offer.” The Inertia
