Hundreds of General Motors workers and their families have gathered in Ohio for an emotional prayer vigil over the closure of their plant and the loss of 15,000 jobs across the company.

The solemn prayer vigil took place outside the General Motors plant in Lordstown on Thursday.

It is among the five GM plants across North America that are set to close next year.

Emotional co-workers hugged each other and wiped away tears as they prayed together.

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Hundreds of General Motors workers held a prayer vigil outside the company's plant in Lordstown, Ohio on Thursday following news the plant will close next year

A Lordstown employee, Norman Perry, told Fox8 that workers were just trying to stay positive in the wake of the news earlier this week.

'Everyone just wants to keep working right now and get through this. Christmas is coming, they want to enjoy Christmas,' he said.

'This is a time where we should be lifted up.

'We're just trying to lift spirits and that what all this (the vigil) is all about.'

Union members were among those to address the crowd during the vigil, saying they were trying to save the plant and jobs.

They fear there will be a negative economic impact on the Lordstown region if the closure goes ahead.

Emotional co-workers hugged each other and wiped away tears as they prayed together

A Lordstown employee, Norman Perry, told Fox8 that workers were just trying to stay positive in the wake of the news earlier this week

The solemn prayer vigil took place outside the General Motors plant in Lordstown on Thursday

GM announced on Monday that it would shutter the five plants, stop building six low-selling passenger cars in North America and cut up to 15,000 jobs.

The news has sparked widespread backlash, including from President Donald Trump, who threatened to revoke the company's subsidies as a result.

Trump said on Wednesday that new auto tariffs were 'being studied now,' asserting they could prevent job cuts such as the layoffs and plant closures announced this week.

He tweeted that the 25 percent tariff placed on imported pickup trucks and commercial vans from markets outside North America in the 1960s had long boosted U.S. vehicle production.

'If we did that with cars coming in, many more cars would be built here,' Trump said, 'and G.M. would not be closing their plants in Ohio, Michigan & Maryland.'

Several automakers said privately on Wednesday they feared GM's action could prompt Trump to take action faster than expected on new tariffs.

GM did not directly comment on Trump's tweets, but reiterated that it was committed to investing in the United States.

Union members were among those to address the crowd during the vigil, saying they were trying to save the plant and jobs