Striking Workers, Elected Officials Urge Illinois International Port District to End QSL America Lease (Chicago, IL) – A coalition of striking port workers, public officials and labor leaders is calling on the Illinois International Port District (IIPD) to terminate its lease with QSL America, the company that operates Iroquois Landing on the city’s Southeast Side.
During a press conference Friday morning outside the IIPD headquarters at 3600 E. 95th St., members of International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 150, along with Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon, Congressman Danny Davis, State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford and 10th Ward Ald. Peter Chico, raised concerns about what they say are serious safety violations and declining operations under QSL America’s management.
The event comes as QSL America workers enter the fifth month of their strike over what they describe as unfair labor practices, including worker retaliation, harassment and surveillance. Union leaders say workers have been disciplined or dismissed after reporting unsafe working conditions, including a recent incident in which a steel coil fell from a crane onto an active work zone.
“Workers should not have to choose between their safety and their livelihood,” an IUOE Local 150 spokesperson said. “QSL America has shown it cannot operate this port responsibly or safely, and it’s time for the Port District to act.”
Supporters at the rally also pointed to a decline in port activity during the labor dispute. According to union officials, both rail and vessel traffic at Iroquois Landing have decreased in recent months, raising concerns about QSL America’s ability to meet operational obligations to the district.
The Illinois International Port District oversees more than 19 million tons of annual cargo traffic. Iroquois Landing—operated by QSL America and its partner NASCO—is the largest inland container port in the United States, making it a key hub for Midwest freight transport and logistics.
Members of Illinois’ congressional delegation, including Rep. Davis, have recently urged the Port District to reconsider its lease with QSL America. “This facility is too important to the economy of Chicago and the entire Midwest to allow mismanagement or labor conflict to compromise its future,” Davis said.
The press conference featured striking workers holding signs and chanting as elected officials and labor leaders voiced support for ending the lease with QSL America.
The IIPD board has not yet publicly responded to the calls to terminate the company’s contract. QSL America did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.
More information about the ongoing strike can be found at Local150.org
Striking Workers, Elected Officials Urge Illinois International Port District to End QSL America Lease
