Payments

UAW to review firings over kiosk payment issues

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July 17, 2026

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The United Auto Workers is investigating the termination of two Ford employees who were fired after allegedly failing to pay for low-cost food items purchased through self-service Aramark kiosks, according to a Ford Authority report.

One worker at Ford's Kentucky truck plant was dismissed over a cookie, while another at the Michigan assembly plant lost his job after attempting to buy crackers. Both employees said they tried to pay at the kiosks but encountered technical problems, and in one case the payment was later processed successfully.

UAW Vice President Laura Dickerson said local union chapters and the union's Ford Department are working with the automaker to address the incidents. She said the cases involve complex issues and that the union is taking a methodical approach to resolving them on behalf of its members.

The fired workers, however, criticized the union's response. Kentucky employee Kurt Kromm said he expected union leadership to challenge Ford's zero-tolerance policy on canteen theft after he provided evidence of his attempted payment. Neither Ford nor Aramark has commented publicly on the incidents. The cases have raised concerns among workers about using the self-service kiosks, while another dismissed employee said his grievance could take six months to two years to resolve because of a backlog of union cases.