Kurt Kromm, an 11-year Ford electrician, was fired for allegedly stealing a $1.95 cookie he had actually paid for.
What Happened At The Kentucky Truck Plant
Kurt Kromm worked as an electrician at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville for 11 years. He had a perfect attendance record and was known by coworkers as attentive and helpful, based on reporting from the World Socialist Web Site.
The Night He Bought The Cookie
Around 3:30 a.m. on May 9, Kromm’s blood sugar dropped to 60 during his overnight shift. Kromm is diabetic. He walked to the break room to buy a $1.95 pack of Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies from an Aramark self-checkout kiosk, according to Entrepreneur.
Why The Payment Looked Like Theft
The first kiosk flashed a red “payment failed” screen. Kromm then moved to a second kiosk and completed the payment there, a transaction later confirmed by his bank statement, according to Carscoops. A week later, Kromm was called into his supervisor’s office and told he was being fired for theft under Ford’s zero tolerance policy.
The Kiosk’s Known Problems
Coworkers said the Aramark payment kiosks at the plant were known to malfunction often. Fellow electrician Victoria Thomas, who has worked at Ford for 34 years, said the machines regularly fail to give receipts and that she avoids the break room because of it, according to Jalopnik. Kromm said at least five other employees at the plant had been fired under the same policy.
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How Ford Responded After The Evidence Came Out
Kromm provided notarized bank statements proving he paid for the cookie. Ford then contacted Aramark, which confirmed on June 12 that the payment had gone through, according to Detroit News. Ford told Kromm he could return to work on June 22 and that he would be paid for five weeks of lost wages.
What Kromm Was Actually Paid
Kromm received two checks totaling $28,000, which was $5,000 less than the $33,000 the UAW had told him to expect, according to Shifting Gears reporting cited by Carscoops. By that point, Kromm had already accepted a new job.
Where Kromm Works Now
Kromm found a new position through the IBEW union hall within days of his firing. His new job pays $52.51 an hour plus a $10 per hour bonus, compared to the $48 an hour he earned at Ford, and he started the day after Memorial Day, according to Yahoo News.
How Ford And Aramark Responded Publicly
Ford spokesperson Jessica Enoch said the situation may not have been handled properly and that the company values its employees. Aramark spokesperson Chris Collom said the company fully cooperates with investigations of this kind, according to Yahoo News. Ford also changed its policy after this case, moving from firing employees over kiosk payment disputes to suspending them instead, according to Yahoo News reporting.
FAQ: Kurt Kromm Ford Aramark Cookie
Q: Who is Kurt Kromm?
Kurt Kromm is a 60 year old electrician who worked at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville for 11 years before he was fired over a cookie payment dispute.
Q: Why was Kurt Kromm fired from Ford?
Ford fired Kromm after accusing him of stealing a $1.95 pack of Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies from an Aramark self-checkout kiosk in the plant break room. Ford said surveillance footage showed him taking the cookie without a completed payment.
Q: Did Kurt Kromm actually pay for the cookie?
Yes. Kromm paid for the cookie at a second kiosk after the first one showed a failed payment screen. His bank statement confirmed the transaction went through at 3:38 a.m. on May 9.
Q: Why did Kromm go to the break room that night?
Kromm is diabetic. His blood sugar dropped to 60 during his overnight shift, so he went to buy a cookie to raise his blood sugar levels.
Q: What is Aramark’s role in this case?
Aramark operates the self-checkout payment kiosks in the Ford plant’s break rooms. Ford contacted Aramark to verify the payment, and Aramark confirmed on June 12 that Kromm had in fact paid for the cookie.
Q: Did Ford give Kurt Kromm his job back?
Yes. Ford offered Kromm his job back on June 17, with a return date of June 22, after Aramark confirmed the payment was valid.
Q: Did Kurt Kromm return to work at Ford?
No. By the time Ford offered him his job back, Kromm had already accepted a new position through the IBEW union hall.
Q: How much was Kurt Kromm paid for his lost wages?
Kromm received two checks totaling $28,000 for five weeks of lost wages. This was $5,000 less than the $33,000 the UAW had told him he would receive.
Q: What does Kurt Kromm do now?
Kromm started a new job the day after Memorial Day. His new position pays $52.51 an hour plus a $10 per hour bonus, higher than the $48 an hour he earned at Ford.
Q: Were other Ford employees fired over the same kiosk issue?
Yes. Kromm said at least five other employees at the Kentucky Truck Plant were fired under the same zero tolerance theft policy tied to Aramark kiosk payment problems.
Q: Did Ford change its policy after this case?
Yes. Ford moved from firing employees over kiosk payment disputes to suspending them instead.
Q: What did Ford say about the situation?
Ford spokesperson Jessica Enoch said the case may not have been handled properly and that the company values its employees and wants to be fair.
