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

UMW is a union of over 1,100 essential workers from 16 distinct units at 13 ski resorts. 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.