featherbedding

American  

[feth-er-bed-ing] / ˈfɛð ərˌbɛd ɪŋ /

noun

1. the practice of requiring an employer to hire unnecessary employees, to assign unnecessary work, or to limit production according to a union rule or safety statute.

   Featherbedding forced the railroads to employ firemen on diesel locomotives.

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featherbedding British  

/ ˈfɛðəˌbɛdɪŋ /

noun

1. the practice of limiting production, duplicating work, or overmanning, esp in accordance with a union contract, in order to prevent redundancies or create jobs

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featherbedding Cultural  

1. The practice of forcing an employer to hire more workers than are needed for a job.

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Etymology

Origin of featherbedding

First recorded in 1920–25; feather + bedding