Ski patrol staff at Sunday River have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to form a union, which could become the first of its kind on the East Coast.
A majority of the 34 employees on the ski patrol signed on to join the United Mountain Workers, which represents over 1,000 ski industry workers in western states.
UMW president Max Magill, a ski patroller in Utah, said the Sunday River effort is part of a broader trend of unionization.
"I think we're seeing a ski industry that's focused more than it ever has been on capturing wealth for executives and shareholders and maximizing profits," he said. "And not exactly paying workers their fair share of the money that's earned."
In a statement, the Sunday River ski patrollers say they want to create a "sustainable workplace that guarantees fair compensation, safe working conditions, and professional development."
"We respect our team members' right to participate in the union organization process," said Sunday River resort general manager Brian Heon. "Our commitment to an open dialogue and fostering a workplace built on kindness, respect, and professionalism remains unchanged during this process."
