Is The 4 Valleys Lift Pass No More?

J2SkiNews wrote: They further pointed out that those operators were typically charging double now for the week in Switzerland to a 'comparable week' in another ski nation. And they finally said they did not think it was right that they should pay their staff operating in one country double/triple what they pay them in another country, to do the same job.

Different countries have different living standards, prices etc. Since they bring their staff to a country they have to pay them according to this particular country rules. I am sure that most people in Switzerland are getting paid more then people in UK, France, USA or wherever for doing the same job, but they actually live in Switzerland while working ... I am not even sure that using the word "comparable" is correct here. I travel to many places for work while doing the same job, my expenses allowance is not the same though, but depends on a country I go to. The same as a tourist. The fact is that a "comparable" week in one country will often cost more than a week in some other country, because they are two different countries. These TO's just like easy profits, maybe because they know that their services will become redundant due to technology. Nothing is easier than arranging your own holiday. Tons of flights, tons of accommodation for any budget these days, and with Internet everything is at fingertips. It's interesting how people are willing to pay the middlemen for basically nothing while totally ignoring the fact that these middlemen don't pay their staff a fair wage.

Looks like Nendaz has adopted the less for more pricing model like Verbier has, last season a 6 day pass for the Printze area cost 274 Francs next seasons Espace Mont-Fort pass will cost 304 Francs. As Verbier_ski_bum said Thyon is now cut off from the rest of the area, last year they had a total income of CHF 7,612,405 of which, 5,299,242 came from sales of the Printze pass, 919,188 from 4 Vallées passes and 740,162 from Thyon 2000. The net income was CHF 219,814. As things stand the outlook for next season doesn't look very rosy.

In February Télé-Nendaz sold its 10% stake in Télé-Verbier, so it looks like Jean-Marie Fournier is now going to concentrate on the Printze area.

Last week it was also announced that Jacques Melly, the State Councillor in charge of the Department for Transport, Construction and the Environment, is going to be the mediator they are hoping to start the process at the beginning of August. The press reports also stated that they were only able to come to an agreement on how to divide the money up in 2006 after mediation.

Verbier_ski_bum, the Farinet changed hands at the end of 2013, it's now owned by an English hotelier / property developer from Brighton. I don't think he will have too much trouble getting permission to convert it into apartments, according to Lex Weber hotels that are more than 25 years old and no longer financially viable can be converted into second homes.

J2SkiNews, it's difficult to see who they could negotiate with, these collective labour agreements are made between the unions and the employers' associations and then made legally binding at their request by either local or central government. There are 3 unions and 3 employers associations involved in this one, I can't see any reason why any of these organisations would agree to amend the current agreement, it's clearly not in their interest to do so. They will of course be getting a sympathetic ear from the Swiss tourist office and Canton Valais but, that's about all they are likely to get, still no harm in trying.

I presume they are keeping the Hotel de Verbier although I can't think why, most 3 star hotels of this age and size in resorts that only have a winter season don't make any money. Maybe they can't get out of the contract in or maybe they have a stake it.

I think the real problem is that Hotelplan made a very bad decision when they decided to take over Enigma travel (Esprit & Ski Total) in 2010. I don't understand why they couldn't see that the loopholes in local employment laws and the European directive on posted workers that allowed them to employ their resort staff on UK contracts would be closed off sooner rather than later. Mind you if they employ people who can't see why they have to pay staff working in countries with different living costs differing rates of pay anything's possible. I very much doubt that the employees of Hotelplan Suisse AG, Hotelplan Italia S.p.A., and Hotelplan UK Group Ltd all get the same rate of pay for doing the same job.

There is not too much optimism regarding Farinet, more like a hope. After all the building is right in the centre of the village and depending on the scale of the project may obstruct traffic... Plus it's the only real après-ski place and NYE is usually celebrated on this square. There will definitely be petitions to the commune to block the project. Farinet is a good hotel too and not too pricey at all. All in all a very strange choice for a place for a private home... Anyway, this will stay as is for one more season, but if they close après ski and move New Year celebrations away from the centre probably it's time for us to move to Chamonix. Not many people will like Verbier turning into another Gstaad.

So, there we go. The deal has been extended for another 18 years. http://www.lenouvelliste.ch/fr/valais/valais/le-domaine-des-4-vallees-est-sauve-jean-marie-fournier-televeysonnaz-dedommage-498-1343092

That was quick, they only had the first mediation session on 18th August. After months of deadlock they have managed to reach an agreement which seems to give Jean-Marie Fournier more or less what he wanted in the first place in only 3 weeks. If Télé-Thyon and Télé-Verbier were prepared to back down so quickly why did they make such a fuss in the first place?

And the net result is an increase in ticket prices...

It was already an expensive ticket, how much will it cost now?
Hopefully the agreement will lead to some much needed improvements to the lift system.

It's not a great difference but it's 70 francs more for the annual pass now. For a day pass you probably pay 2-3 francs more now but I am not too sure as haven't checked prices for day passes