I've read over this thread somewhat and several things have come to mind and I'm sure I'll get shot for stating this but I'll do so anyhow, the first one is where does company profits equate into the company should pay better wages or anything else on someone els's behalf? I've missed something along the line but I don't feel or ever did if a prior employer made a buck I was anyhow entitled to any part of that dollar and can't seem to wrap myself around the idea that anyone is entitled to anything from anyone's profits, sounds to me like sour grapes and a lot of complaining on others part. If cat is somehow to blame for the gas price, or food price or transportation costs or even living costs you incur, but you are unwilling to move anywhere cheaper to live or find any other job, then I can't feel sorry for anyone, as for benefits being offered they are just that benefits and not entitlements, if the company can find someone else that will work for less and do the same job its still called a free market system and thats why, you have the freedom to chose your job and what you do with your life, at work and away from work and who you marry and how you live your life, its not cats or anyone's else's fault or responsibility to do anything on your behalf no matter what you think.
Second if you've got it so bad and cats so terrible and disgusting and unfair and the list is almost endless of their faults, then start your own company and produce your own products, then your profits can and will be endless and you can employ everyone who needs a job and pay wages they feel is fair for you to pay and you can run your business anyhow they deem fit for you. If your thinking you can't do that, think again, its done everyday, I did just that and now run a considerable sized operation, I never did nor still do have any benefits paid on my behalf, I pay 100% of everything myself, if I want to make even more money I can figure out just how to do that and I'v never complained about someone who had it better than myself, I may have been envious but whatever they did to get to where they are is their business, if it were done legally and not by selling drugs or stealing something. The world is not a fair place to work or live, someone will always have it better or make more than you or have had a better break in life you didn't get, so get used to it, its not cats fault nor anyone else's either, if cat wants to pay 16 bucks an hour and your not going to work for that, then look elsewhere for a better job, if they were paying 40 bucks an hour and you took a job away from someone else would you be willing to give it up so the other guy could have it instead? If they had a 5 million dollar loss would you be willing to work for 10 bucks an hour to help them out? If you answered no aren't you somewhat selfish about yourself needing something more than they do? If you said no you'd not be willing to work for 10 per hour if they were losing money they why would them making profits have anything to do with what you feel you should get?
Don't get me wrong I'm not a cat lover by any means, but they have survived without government bailouts unlike chrysler and gm and they do understand business and how to run one profitably and to produce products people want to buy and as long as those people can and will buy them and pay the price for them and the parts, they they'll probably be around for some time to come, if that takes closing plants and relocating them elsewhere to hire those willing to work for what they want to pay, then I don't feel they've done anything wrong, if your a casualty of that change, then maybe take your lumps and move on, and learn from the experience and remember maybe the next company won't survive paying 35 per hour plus benefits either and instead of striving for higher wages and negotiating with the company all the time, there might be someone out there thats happy to work for less and not a constant headache to the company and eventually not worth arguing with anymore, but thats just my opinion, if I'm wrong what did the company tell you or try to tell you for the lowering wages and less benefits being offered and maybe relocating the plant somewhere else?