Park City, UT, Ski Patrol Union Takes Legal Action Against Vail Resorts Over Paid Leave Benefits

"Filing for arbitration comes after numerous meetings with management and on the heels of the company publicly claiming to invest time and money into fostering a better working relationship with PCPSPA. Union leadership expressed disappointment, noting the importance of the benefit following what they described as a particularly traumatic season due to low snow conditions."

"The benefit in question, known as Recovery Time Off (RTO), is designed to provide patrollers with paid time off for mental health, vacation, or physical rehabilitation. According to a press release issued by the PCPSPA and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) on May 13, 2026, the benefit was granted to non-unionized patrols in Colorado, a move the union argues should have triggered a similar rollout for the Park City team under the terms of their agreement."

"The organization emphasized that the arbitration is a necessary step to secure equitable working conditions for patrollers, whose roles involve high-risk tasks in adverse terrain. The PCPSPA is a member of CWA Local 7781, also known as the United Mountain Workers of America. The CWA represents unionized ski industry professionals across several major resorts in Utah, Colorado, Montana, and Washington."

PCPSPA filed for arbitration against Vail Resorts, alleging a violation of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. The dispute involves Vail’s refusal to extend Recovery Time Off to the unionized Park City patrol unit. Recovery Time Off provides paid time off for mental health, vacation, or physical rehabilitation. The benefit was implemented for non-unionized patrols at other Vail-owned properties in Colorado, and the union argues the CBA required a similar rollout for Park City. Union leaders said they held numerous meetings with management and were disappointed by the company’s actions after publicly claiming investment in better working relationships. The union emphasized the high-risk nature of ski patrol work and the need for equitable working conditions.

Read at SnowBrains