Union bosses force bankrupt Detroit to hire "horseshoer"

The city of Detroit is bankrupt, letting homes burn and has no money to hire new police officers, firefighters or teachers, but they are paying to keep a unionized horseshoer on the payroll.

The city has no horses for him to shoe, but that hasn't stopped the city's union bosses from forcing the city to pay for the position of farrier. 

Under union rules, the position must be funded.  While Detroit is laying off police officers, teachers and firefighters union bosses warn the city it is "not possible" to eliminate the position of official city horseshoer, despite the fact Detroit's police officers began using automobiles in 1909.

"The city pays $29,245 in salary and about $27,000 in benefits for the horseshoer position," the Mackinac Center reports. While the police department has a small number of horses for patrols and parades, "the DWSD horseshoer no longer works with animals."

While the official unionized city horseshoer receives a plush modern-day salary and benefits, the job description was last updated in 1967.