[Vocabulary] Featherbedding

[Silverobama]

Hi,

What does this sentence mean?

Featherbedding forced the railroads to employ firemen on diesel locomotives.

I did look up the word "featherbedding" but still don't get the sentence.

Can you help me?

 

[JMurray]

This will clarify it for you:
Featherbedding - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In your example the firemen were employed on diesel engines that, of course, do not have a fire. So the men were hired to do a job that did not exist.

not a teacher

 

[SoothingDave]

"Featherbedding" is/was a practice by labor unions to contractually compel the company/organization they work for to hire people for unnecessary positions.

 

[Silverobama]

Thanks a lot,

But how does "Featherbedding forced the railroads" to "employ firemen on diesel locomotives."?

 

[Silverobama]

Thanks a million.

Million Thanks.

I don't know which is correct, but thank you very much.

Thanks loads. (This must be correct)