Talk:Featherbedding

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[edit] To do

This article still needs work. I am at the limit of my expertise now. I hope others can help make the following contributions:

1. A better definition of featherbedding. If the term is vague, then perhaps a source can be found to say so. But the limited academic literature I found never defines it except in narrow economic terms. Yet, the term is clearly used in other ways which are non-economic.
2. Add a section on the economic costs of featherbedding. How widespread is the practice? What is the estimated cost of the practice?
3. Add more countries to the "International Perspective" section. Each addition should discuss alternative terms for featherbedding in that nation, national or local laws covering the practice, and estimates of how widespread the practice is and how it impacts each nation.
4. A section or subsection on the grey area between legitimate practices (such as minimal staffing practices for health and safety reasons, or for professional licensure in health care) and featherbedding, to illustrate more clearly the dispute over the practice.
5. Perhaps a subsection which defends featherbedding. Most literature assumes that it is inefficient and corrupt. Yet, this seems to ignore larger social issues. (For example, in the Great Depression, many American policy makers, businessmen and others asked for drastically shorter work weeks in order to avoid layoffs and keep employment high. That is a classic example of featherbedding. Yet, it was never called that, and was widely adopted in the U.S. for a time.)

I am sure others will have more ideas for improving this article. - Tim1965 (talk) 14:46, 28 November 2007 (UTC)