The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“The needle is moving and that’s progress”
By Kendra Walker
Following a strike authorization and rallying the community for support over the past week, it appears that the Crested Butte Lift Maintenance Union is making some progress with Vail Resorts as they negotiate a contract for higher wages and increased safety on the job.
Union president Thomas Pearman shared with the Crested Butte News this week that negotiations with Vail Resorts appear to be moving in the right direction, following another negotiation meeting Monday night. “It was a good turning of the page for the first time in a long time,” he said. “It felt like Vail actually showed up ready to bargain.”
Pearman said he feels the union’s vote to authorize a potential strike made the difference. The union has been engaged in negotiations with Vail since January 2024, and the 12 members are currently working without a contract. Last week, the union passed a strike authorization vote and created a strike fund to help cover lost wages should they go on strike. To date, they have raised over $11,500 and gathered 859 signatures in a petition for support. Last Friday, the union also picketed at the Four-Way to raise awareness and support.
“We credit these positive changes with the strike authorization vote and all the support we got from the community on our petition and strike fund. That truly has made the difference in these negotiations,” he said.
While Pearman couldn’t disclose specifics regarding the negotiations, he said, “Vail stopped offering us what they were already giving us. The needle is moving and that’s progress.”
The union and Vail Resorts are still finalizing a contract, but Pearman said they have negotiations scheduled for next week and the following. “We’re hoping we can make a lot of progress over the next couple of weeks,” he said. “We’re still prepared to strike if we need to, but at this point we’re optimistic that things are moving in the right direction. It really feels like we’re all working toward getting a contract.”
Pearman and the team are grateful for the support they have received over the past week. “I want to thank the community for supporting our GoFundMe and petition. A big thanks to everybody who stopped by our picket, talked to our guys, honked their horns, brought coffee and food. The support has been truly instrumental in getting this moving forward.”
