featherbedding

[ feth-er-bed-ing ]

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.

featherbedding

/ 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

featherbedding

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of featherbedding¹

First recorded in 1920–25; feather + bedding