Park City has a strong labor history. In the late 19th and the early 20th century, the miners who lived in the town and who worked underground were often part of a union. The sometimes-militant Western Federation of Miners had a strong presence in the mining camp and helped negotiate better wages and working conditions for the hard rock laborers.
But flash forward more than a century and things are a bit different in Utah. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the state as 49th in the nation when it comes to union affiliation. That’s not to say that labor is absent from Park City in the modern era, just that it’s somewhat muted when compared with that storied past.
For nearly the past two years though, the union representing ski patrollers in the one-time mining camp has been negotiating for a better contract with the company that owns the Park City Mountain Resort — Vail Resorts. But the two sides have so far been unable to come to an agreement.
So is a ski patrollers strike possible?
Plus, a fossil treasure trove from Utah’s Grande Staircase Escalante National Monument threatens to rewrite our understanding ancient Tyrannosaur dinosaurs.
That’s today on “In the Hive.”
Guests:
Patrick Murphy, Business Manager – Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association
Dr. Alan Titus, Bureau of Land Management paleontologist
Dr. Dave Oleyar, Director of Long-term Monitoring & Community Science for HawkWatch International
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1 Comments
I wonder how much medical certification $13/hr pays for? I’d much rather someone searching for or saving my life be slightly more qualified. Pay these hard working people what they deserve.