By a margin of 95%, the Telluride Professional Ski Patrol Association (TPSPA) voted to strike beginning Saturday, Dec. 27.
"We've authorized a strike tonight," TPSPA President Graham Hoffman told The Telluride Times Tuesday night after the meeting concluded. "We set (Dec.) 27th as the earliest date."
Telski stuck to its guns throughout the weekend and reported no effort to move toward ski patrol despite the union's attempt to find mutually agreeable concessions as a means to avoid a work-stoppage.
The community is watching closely. With Chuck Horning's decade-long track record of firing top resort executives — including Ray Jacobi, Dave Riley, and Bill Jensen — and leaving the 2,000-acre resort uncaptained for long stretches, few locals are surprised it came to this. The community is, by and large, on ski patrol's side.
We're rooting for a fast resolution that gets Ski Patrol what they want, and deserve. Plan your trips accordingly.
TelSki's Position
Telski sent a letter to Ski & Golf members outlining their offer: an immediate 13% wage increase for 2025/26, and a guaranteed minimum 5% cost-of-living increase in each of the following two seasons. Under that offer, wages would range from $24.06/hr for trainees to $39.84/hr for station leads.
Ski Patrol, however, is asking for a 27.7% increase — or $8.04/hr — for the 2025/26 season alone. TelSki called that "not a reasonable nor competitive demand."
What Locals Think
Both sides are now rallying support. But with Chuck's behavior over the last decade, the community is squarely on the side of Ski Patrol. A holiday shutdown is the only way to inflict maximum pain on TelSki and get Chuck to truly come to the negotiating table.
More information: Colorado Sun coverage