featherbedding

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.

verb (used with or without object), feath·er·bed·ded, feath·er·bed·ding.

1. to subject to or engage in featherbedding.

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