Telluride Ski Resort to Close December 27 Over Patrol Strike

Telluride Ski Resort, a renowned destination in Colorado's San Juan Mountains, announced plans to close on December 27 due to an impending strike by its professional ski patrol union, threatening operations during the peak holiday season.

The Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association authorized the work stoppage with near-unanimous support from its members following months of unsuccessful contract negotiations that began in June. The previous agreement expired on August 31, and the union rejected the resort's best-and-final offer earlier this month. No further talks are scheduled before the weekend, prompting resort officials to state that the facility will not open that day. The core issue revolves around wages, with patrollers seeking increases to address high turnover and the elevated cost of living in the area. They propose raising starting pay from $21 per hour to about $28 to $30, along with adjustments for senior staff, such as boosting rates for those with over 30 years of experience from $30 to $36 up to $39 to $48.60. The union's demands also include paid time off, health insurance stipends and equipment allowances, which they estimate would equate to a roughly 35...