Ski Hill Workers Join the Union – UFCW 401

Jasper, Alta. – February 8, 2024 –  After months of fighting to have their voices heard, safety operation and ski dispatch workers at Marmot Basin are finally celebrating becoming members of UFCW Local 401. 

These newest members at Marmot Basin are the first in their industry to be represented by UFCW 401. The workers at Marmot Basin began exploring forming a union in their workplace at the beginning of 2023 after feeling ignored by their employer. An application for a vote to join UFCW Local 401 was submitted in April of 2023. However, challenges were presented by the board that held the process up for an extended period of time.  

The ski patrol workers held firm and recently had their chance to vote on joining UFCW Local 401 with 100% support. The local union is now in the process of getting to the bargaining table to negotiate their first contract. Discussions will involve the significant squeeze that Marmot Basin workers have felt from the global affordability crisis. As a popular tourist destination, it is often even more challenging to make ends meet in cities like Jasper as the cost of goods, services, and housing are subject to higher levels of inflation than elsewhere.

"All workers have the right to join a union and, frankly, all workers need a union. To bargain collectively and speak as a group creates more power for workers. As an individual employee, your fate is too often at the whim of a large company," says UFCW 401 President Thomas Hesse. "Like all of our members, these workers have needs that they want to see addressed. We look forward to engaging their employer to ensure a first contract meets those needs."

Read more about the organizing victory at Marmot Basin on UFCW 401’s website.

UFCW Local 401 is Alberta’s largest private sector union, representing 32,000 members working in diverse sectors of the economy, including food processing, retail, education, entertainment, health care, and hospitality. To learn more about UFCW 401 and its outstanding work, visit the Local Union’s website.

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