Greek Peak Conditions

radskier wrote

Think of it as another opportunity to meet and mingle with friends in the repair shop.

Just so I get this straight. Someone who skis Greek regularly and points out things that could be improved is a drama queen. Someone who doesn't ski at all thinks everything Greek does is just wonderful. Just checking.

Aren't there snowmobile forums?

radskier wrote

  Think of it as another opportunity to meet and mingle with friends in the repair shop.

You need to be likable in order to interact with others.

campgottagopee wrote

Exactly. I don't know this to be fact but I think they're having problems finding people who want to work. Seems as though nowadays not working is very comfortable for some.

You are absolutely correct that they are having a tough time attracting people. This is especially true with snow makers and lifties. People just don’t want to stand outside in variable conditions earning near minimum wage. The other aspect is that the majority of their hires are part-time, so no benefits or job security. They also have a chronic issue of employees calling out sick. It certainly is a dilemma, but one that can be improved.

Cornhead wrote

Just so I get this straight. Someone who skis Greek regularly and points out things that could be improved is a drama queen. Someone who doesn't ski at all thinks everything Greek does is just wonderful. Just checking.

Aren't there snowmobile forums?

JAGGED rocks!!!!! Bwahahaaaaaa

I'm scared of jagged rocks. I'm afraid they would ruin my precious skis.

Jagged rocks!!!!! LMFAO

What a drama queen

Rj1972 wrote

campgottagopee wrote

Exactly. I don't know this to be fact but I think they're having problems finding people who want to work. Seems as though nowadays not working is very comfortable for some.

You are absolutely correct that they are having a tough time attracting people. This is especially true with snow makers and lifties. People just don’t want to stand outside in variable conditions earning near minimum wage. The other aspect is that the majority of their hires are part-time, so no benefits or job security. They also have a chronic issue of employees calling out sick. It certainly is a dilemma, but one that can be improved.

I'm 100% serious with this. Wonder why they don't get in contact with some of the immigrants from Mexico??? They've honestly saved, or at least helped, the local farming industry. I know of at least one local farmer who would say that their incredible work ethic has saved his farm. These folks work, take pride in their work, and aren't scared to do it.

As a ski school worker bee at Greek I am too am not surprised by the discussion of the lift line on the Visions lift. I sympathize with those who wish we loaded every lift with four passengers, opened Chair 1 all the time, added staff to organize the line, added line corrals and/or fencing, which would ease adding a singles line etc. I wish we would too.

But there are tons of issues. Corrals and fences take up space, out of control skiers run into them. Get hurt. Sue. Yeah. Insurance companies hate this stuff.


Staffing and Affordability. The MAJOR problem. Despite several job fairs and wide advertising, there are not enough people willing to work what are basically winter only,  part time, minimum wage (plus ski pass) jobs without benefits. Getting them to show up holidays and weekends?  Know anybody who wants a job standing out in the snow, rain and cold, day or night, on Christmas, New Years, Saturdays, Sundays for $11.80 an hour wage plus ski pass? One that's only there between Thanksgiving thru April 1?

On the other hand, its a problem which occurs for about 4-8 hours in a week where they operate between 60-70 hours a week. So yes, its an issue. But there are other issues. They'd like to open Chair 1,2, 3, 4 and 5 every day, especially every weekend. Would be fantastic if more people showed up too. And if it snowed the last two days instead of rained. And if the owners had $100 million to drop into a computerized snow making and lift replacement program this summer.  

Yeah, they'd love to do all these things. But its not possible. Not enough cash. So management has prioritized making on hill improvements to snow making and lift maintenance in the summer and making sure we never have to close due to lack of snow when we get weather like the last few days. I think those things have been important. Plus several departments have seen leadership changes in the last couple of years. The ski school head is on his second year, marketing, snow making management, marketing and guest services folks also changed this fall.  

As for replacing the Alpha lift. Lots of groans and annoyance in the ski school department at the first instructor meeting this fall. but the delay here was because the permits and engineering drawings were not completed by a contractor until late October. Then it started snowing. So it waits until spring. It will come. We all want the Alpha lift to be retired. Like now.

Regarding immigrant workers at Greek...

I happen to know that farm workers qualify for visas that make hiring alien workers (legally) much easier than ski resorts. It's a nice idea though. Lobby your senator and representative in DC. This issue has been stalled in DC for nearly two decades.  For the time being, lets just say that its not as easy for Greek to hire them as it is for the farmer down the road.

sigh

Doug - the Quad lift line problem is easily solvable. As you point out it only exists on certain days and even then not all day. The solutions are easy, which is why people gripe about it.

Blame line corrals on insurance? BS, it's a cost of doing business. And, look at Chair 1. Maybe you're too new to know it, but they always used corral lines that went to the west for years and years. No need now because they only open 1 when they can't manage the line at the Quad.

The Quad line is only a cluster fuck for a few hours on weekend days, and of course during holidays - but again only for a few hours a day. Again, total BS that they can't re-prioritize one person to manage the line for a  few hours on those occasion. And at the same time, teach the existing lifties to speak to people about how to load.

It's a minor, easily solvable problem. Not solving it creates a customer satisfaction issue for some people. Who communicate that to other people. There are more and more options to ski every year. Greek shouldn't give people a reason to spend their ski money elsewhere.

I thought Greek had hired immigrants the last several years.  

Dougski wrote

Regarding immigrant workers at Greek...

I happen to know that farm workers qualify for visas that make hiring alien workers (legally) much easier than ski resorts. It's a nice idea though. Lobby your senator and representative in DC. This issue has been stalled in DC for nearly two decades.  For the time being, lets just say that its not as easy for Greek to hire them as it is for the farmer down the road.

sigh

Thanks for the info. I never knew about that. It certainly doesn't make any sense why the heck they would want to stall it. None. It certainly would solve a bunch of issues that not only GP is having but other smaller ski hills.

Dougski --- we're you around when Gordy ran the ski school?

Its true that agriculture has its own rules, which I think may include paying less then minimum wage but I believe there are other seasonal worker programs that many ski resorts take advantage of- similar to summer camps and resort areas that only do business in summer.

campgottagopee wrote

. Wonder why they don't get in contact with some of the immigrants from Mexico??? .

Here's a wild idea: what if they raised wages to attract more workers?

Here's another wild idea, since you think so highly of importing workers, why don't you fire all the guys you hire for sales jobs and replace them with immigrants? Your boss would probably love it if you saved him some $, right?

MC2 5678F589 wrote

campgottagopee wrote

. Wonder why they don't get in contact with some of the immigrants from Mexico??? .

Here's a wild idea: what if they raised wages to attract more workers?
 

I'm sure they would love too but not sure the $$$$ is there to do that. We aren't owned by NYS so the blank checkbook doesn't apply here.

MC2 5678F589 wrote

 

Here's another wild idea, since you think so highly of importing workers, why don't you fire all the guys you hire for sales jobs and replace them with immigrants? Your boss would probably love it if you saved him some $, right?

You're right. That's a wild idea.

https://www.journalgazette.net/news/us/20191027/ski-resorts-face-worker-shortage

It's not just GP

The first sentence in this article is exactly why I worked at GP. That said, I had to because my parents didn't have the $$$$ to simply buy me a pass.

campgottagopee wrote

https://www.journalgazette.net/news/us/20191027/ski-resorts-face-worker-shortage

It's not just GP

The first sentence in this article is exactly why I worked at GP. That said, I had to because my parents didn't have the $$$$ to simply buy me a pass.

Eh - MTN made $300M in net income last year on $2.3 billion in sales. The CEO had compensation package over $5 million, almost half of which was stock options. It's pretty clear why they can't cough up enough extra to hire more workers. Not saying this applies to Greek, but don't go feeling sorry for the industry big guys.

billyymc wrote

campgottagopee wrote

https://www.journalgazette.net/news/us/20191027/ski-resorts-face-worker-shortage

It's not just GP

The first sentence in this article is exactly why I worked at GP. That said, I had to because my parents didn't have the $$$$ to simply buy me a pass.

Eh - MTN made $300M in net income last year on $2.3 billion in sales. The CEO had compensation package over $5 million, almost half of which was stock options. It's pretty clear why they can't cough up enough extra to hire more workers. Not saying this applies to Greek, but don't go feeling sorry for the industry big guys.

No, no, no, no. I'm with ya. The big boys can easily bump up the pay as suggested in the article. All my point was is this issue seems to be industry wide. Just a bump in the road for the big players but a seemingly major issue for the smaller guys.

Bypassing the bullshit.  

From Dougski: "Staffing and Affordability. The MAJOR problem. Despite several job fairs and wide advertising, there are not enough people willing to work what are basically winter only,  part time, minimum wage (plus ski pass) jobs without benefits. Getting them to show up holidays and weekends?  Know anybody who wants a job standing out in the snow, rain and cold, day or night, on Christmas, New Years, Saturdays, Sundays for $11.80 an hour wage plus ski pass? One that's only there between Thanksgiving thru April 1?

On the other hand, its a problem which occurs for about 4-8 hours in a week where they operate between 60-70 hours a week. So yes, its an issue. But there are other issues. They'd like to open Chair 1,2, 3, 4 and 5 every day, especially every weekend. Would be fantastic if more people showed up too."

The fact that most of us can afford a $500 year pass means that we probably have some extra money to spend.  I was going to ask how much lifties get paid.  At $11.80 per hour, it's $472 per week, minus taxes, with no benefits, on an hourly basis, weather dependent, in all kinds of absolute craptastic weather.  i think that we are darn lucky to have them.  Sure, things could be better.  But, perhaps next time, instead of bitching, you could kick off your skis and go help out.  Maybe help some little struggling kid get up the ramp onto the carpet.  Smile at a newbie.  Help them figure things out. We are live a privileged lifestyle to be able to afford this.  Remember that.

Things have come along way at GP.  I think that we need to be very grateful that we have what we have.  

That is all now from the liberal peanut gallery.

WP