Brakemen

Have you ever thought about these guys? In the early days of railroading, these were the crucial guys who helped to stop trains. They were pretty brave dudes in their day: old trains didn't have the automatic braking system they do today. So the brakemen would clamber up atop each car and manually apply brakes when needed.

Tossing and turning on a top of a moving train car, trying to turn a mechanical wheel to grip the brake drums on each car. Crazy stuff. They deserved a union to call attention to the risks of the job.

Then, as with auto workers, things got out of hand. Train air brakes were invented - brakemen were no longer needed. But, the union negotiated to keep them on - doing nothing of value but getting paid handsomely.

Curmudgeonly diabolical.