A majority of some 30 ski patrol members at Sunday River in Newry filed a petition Monday with the National Labor Relations Board to hold an election to decide whether to unionize and affiliate with United Mountain Workers, which is affiliated with the Communications Workers of America, Local 7781.

If successful, they would become the first ski patrol members to unionize in the East, with most of the UMW’s 1,100 members living in Colorado.

The union vote will be held in 20 to 40 days and be monitored by the NLRB, according to a news release issued by the organization.

“Patrollers cite a commitment to working with Sunday River to make ski patrolling a viable career staffed by highly trained professionals,” the union news release states. “The unionization effort aims to create accountability and structure in that working relationship while maintaining industry standards for risk management and high-quality emergency response.”

The union points out that ski patrol members are responsible for safely opening and maintaining terrain and providing essential first responder care at one of the busiest resorts in the East. It adds that like many mountain communities they face a high cost of living and consistent turnover of new and experienced patrollers.

In response to the unionization effort, Sunday River General Manager Brian Heon offered the following statement: “We respect our team members’ right to participate in the union organization process. Our commitment to an open dialogue and fostering a workplace built on kindness, respect, and professionalism remains unchanged during this process. We are confident our team will continue to support one another because we all share the common goal of caring for our team, our guests, and our resort. ”

This story was originally published as part of “Extra Space Storage ready to open in Auburn” The Buzz offers quick hits about trending area business happenings. Have a Buzzable tip? Contact business writer Christopher Wheelock at 689-2817 or cwheelock@sunjournal.com