Several hundred Chrysler manufacturing workers are protesting the automaker's decision to lay off people in St. Louis.

Workers gathered Thursday across from Chrysler's headquarters outside Detroit. Organizers were expecting 500 protesters, including several busloads from St. Louis.

The company announced June 30 that it was closing the minivan plant in St. Louis effective Oct. 31 and removing a shift from a nearby truck plant. About 2,500 jobs will be affected.







Chrysler says the cuts are necessary because of the decline in U.S. minivan and truck sales. Overall, U.S. auto sales were down 11 percent through July, in part because of high gas prices.

But workers say Chrysler should have kept jobs in the U.S. instead of keeping minivan and truck plants open in Canada and Mexico.