Ford then offered him his job back, but it was too late.
Kromm had already found a new job with a raise, earning $52.51 per hour plus a $10-per-hour bonus, closer to home.
He received over $28,000 in checks for lost wages, short of the $33,000 the union said he would get.
Ford declined to discuss the case but acknowledged it could have been handled differently.
Spokeswoman Jessica Enoch said, "We value our employees and want to be as fair as possible." Aramark's Chris Collom said the company fully cooperates with investigations.
Co-worker Victoria Thomas, a 34-year Ford electrician, said kiosk glitches are well known and have happened to her.
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"I have friends who were terminated because they bought a $2 drink. Kurt was the only one who had documentation and he fought it," she said.
