Wage increases at the company are automatic based on time served, not dependent on seniority or skill level, and end-of-year bonuses are also not linked to performance. …This is beyond featherbedding, yes?
“too many staff”
What business does not have this problem? I guess restaurants have trouble keeping enough workers. But schools, churches, and hospitals have too many staff.
The US rail industry had similar issues. For more than three decades railroads had to maintain firemen on their trains despite the conversion to diesel locomotives that did not require a fireman to stoke the boilers.
Are the trains clean? Do they run on time? Are they more convenient than other means of travel? If so, it appears that they have the right number of people.