A Kentucky factory worker who says Ford fired him after allegedly stealing a $1.95 cookie that he actually paid for has gone viral.
The Electric Viking (@electricviking) covered the widely reported move that has sparked widespread backlash, putting the automaker's corporate culture under heavy scrutiny.
What happened?
Kurt Kromm, 60, says Ford dismissed him after accusing him of not paying for a chocolate chip cookie at a factory snack kiosk. As reported by The Electric Viking, CarScoops, and other media outlets, Kromm worked at the Ford factory in Louisville, which manufactures the Super Duty, the Expedition, and the Lincoln Navigator models and earned $25 billion in revenue in 2023.
Kromm denies the allegations and says the kiosk malfunctioned when he tried to pay. After his payment was denied, he says he went to another kiosk to complete the transaction.
"I earned over $200,000 last year. Why would I steal? I spent $1,200 last year in the canteen mainly on Diet Cokes," Kromm told Shifting Gears.
According to Kromm, the incident began at about 3:30 a.m. during a 12-hour shift, when his low blood sugar prompted him to buy a Grandma's chocolate chip cookie.
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About a week later, he said, he was called into a supervisor's office and fired.
Kromm later provided screenshots from his bank account showing the $1.95 transaction. On June 12, the company that maintains the kiosk, Aramark, confirmed the purchase, per Shifting Gears. Several days later, Ford reportedly said he could return to work, but by then, he had already taken another job. Kromm said he had previously worked 60 hours per week on average for Ford.
Why does it matter?
Kromm experienced significant distress and lack of support after the allegation, according to Shifting Gears.
He says that he cleared out his rental in Louisville and moved back to Kenosha. He says that because Ford would not allow him to take his thousands of dollars' worth of personal tools with him when security escorted him out, he had to later return to Louisville to pick up his property.
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"Kurt was really proud to work at Ford," his wife, Karen Kromm, told Shifting Gears. "It's sad he wasn't supported by his union. He provides a screenshot of the payment and they don't believe him? He got his job back because he fought and provided documentation. But to leave Louisville like this? We have relationships there. This has been really hard."
Other Ford workers told Shifting Gears that the factory's kiosks are known to malfunction, sparking concern about whether they have reliable access to food and drink during workdays, as well as Ford's internal review processes.
"You'll turn around and want your receipt and you can't get one," said Ford electrician Victoria Thomas, who has been with the company for 34 years and praised Kromm's work ethic. "... I don't want an issue, so I avoid that room. I have friends who were terminated because they bought a $2 drink. Kurt was the only one who had documentation, and he fought it."
What are people saying?
Ford spokesperson Jessica Enoch said the matter may not have been handled properly, stating, per Shifting Gears, "There are times when we look into things and realize it could have been handled differently. We value our employees and want to be as fair as possible."
Commenters on The Electric Viking's video were much less forgiving.
"This kind of managerial behavior undermines morale and staff feeling valued," one said.
Another called it a "$1,000,000 PR disaster for a $2 cookie."
"He should sue them," a third asserted.
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