United Mountain Workers (UMW) represents over 1,100 ski industry professionals from across the West under Communication Workers of America (CWA) AFL-CIO Local 7781.

Our membership includes ski patrollers, bike patrollers, and ski lift mechanics and electricians working in technical, hazardous, and under-compensated roles. Working these positions in a mountain setting requires unique grit and tenacity: UMW is enormously proud to represent this group in a unified pursuit of sustainable, respectful wages and benefits, improved workplace safety, and just employment standards reflective of their competence and skills.

By securing beyond-basic items for our membership, we hope to uplift the quality of life for working-class individuals and their families in ski industry towns. Ensuring sustainable livelihoods for industry employees is indisputably necessary for providing high-quality skiing experiences to the public, and for enabling the equitable long-term success of the industry. Through our dedication to these common-sense ideas, UMW is helping strengthen the fabric of mountain communities across the west.