The red card protest was aimed at chairman Sir Brian Moffat

Steelworkers at the company's Welsh plants joined colleagues from Corus sites across the UK and Europe in holding up football-style red cards at midday on Monday.

Steel unions have called on group chairman Sir Brian Moffat to resign over the troubled company's financial crisis, which has seen thousands lose their jobs

In 10 years, the company has gone from making a profit to losing millions Shotton steelworker Laurence Littler

Around 50 workers at Corus' plant at Shotton, on Deeside, joined around 40 colleagues protesting at Port Talbot, 20 at Trostre and an estimated 100 at Llanwern in calling for Mr Moffat to resign.

Union leaders said that workers on shift did not take part in the protest which was intended to be symbolic, rather than causing any disruption to steelmaking.

Shotton steelworker Laurence Littler told BBC Wales News Online: "I've worked for Corus for 29 years and I fear for my job and my pension.

"I'm due to take retirement in around nine months, but I'm worried the firm will go bankrupt before then.

"In 10 years, the company has gone from making a profit to losing millions, due to bad management.

"Hopefully, this protest will have some effect."

Steel unions want Sir Brian Moffat to resign

Fellow Shotton worker Steve Wainwright, a maintenance engineer, said: "There is no job security in the company and it is important that we made our feelings known.

"The workers have done everything the company has asked of them, but there is still insecurity."

Keith Jordan, chairman of the works multi-union committee at Shotton, said: "We didn't do anything that was detrimental to the running of the plant, but we wanted to make a point.

"Many of us are worried about our jobs and while Brian Moffat is in charge, the situation is unlikely to change.

"It's not just the Welsh and UK steelworks, there are protests in Holland, Belgium and France as well."

Anglo-Dutch company Corus has been hit by weakened global demand for steel while the strong British pound has hit its steel exports.

Corus, which was created out of a merger between British Steel and Dutch company Hoogovens, has cut 6,000 jobs over the past three years while more than 3,000 are also set to go in the near future.

Workers and their families protest at Port Talbot

In Wales, 1,300 jobs at the Llanwern works were lost in 2001, while 200 years of steelmaking in Ebbw Vale was ended last summer when Corus shut its plant there.

Corus has recently warned of further plant closures in the UK, raising fears among the unions about further rounds of job cuts.

Last month, Corus chief executive Tony Pedder stepped down after announcing mounting losses.

But Corus angered unions earlier this month after announcing a new bonus scheme for its directors regardless of whether the firm is making a profit, sparking the red card protest.

A spokesman for Corus said on Monday that the company regretted the stance being taken by the protesting workers.