In March 2004, an election was held to determine if the warehouse workers would be represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 342. Truck drivers at Nebraskaland are organized by the Teamsters.

In the lead up to the election, the company fired pro-union workers and began a campaign of harassment and intimidation. When the votes were counted, the union had lost the election 44-32. The union challenged the election and fought to win back the jobs of the fired unionists. The National Labor Relations Board subsequently ordered the company to take back some of the fired workers and ordered the company to give them back pay. In November 2004, the company agreed to recognize the union and began negotiations on a contract.

“A couple of weeks ago the company re-hired a few more of the fired workers with back pay,” said a Nebraskaland worker, who asked not to be identified. “I heard some of the fired workers refused the offer, preferring to wait for the new contract to be signed before returning. Local 342 union representatives come to the parking lot almost every day to give us a progress report on negotiations and we tell them about conditions in the plant.”  
 
 
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