LONDON (Reuters) - BBC staff have notified the state-funded broadcaster of plans for two 48-hour strikes next month in a dispute over planned changes to pensions, unions said on Monday.

A logo for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is seen at its Broadcasting House in central London October 31, 2008. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Earlier, BBC Director General Mark Thompson wrote to staff proposing a new pension option based on a worker’s average pay over their career, as an alternative to a suggested 1 percent annual cap on the future growth of pensionable pay.

Following talks to discuss the suggestion, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Unite and BECTU unions said that while they would continue to consult with the BBC and staff over the changes, they had served notice of planned strike action on October 5 and 6 and October 19 and 20.

“We are disappointed that the unions have announced dates for industrial action. We are surprised that they have don e so when we have just announced today a new 60 day consultation period on a significant addition to our pension proposals,” a BBC spokesperson said.

“We believe our pension proposals address concerns raised by staff and that they should now have the opportunity to fully consider and explore them within the context of an ongoing consultation rather than the threat of a strike.”

The first of the two walkouts could disrupt coverage of the Conservative Party conference while the second would fall on the day the government publishes the details of its planned cuts to public spending.

“Our strong and determined stand against the BBC’s pensions robbery has resulted in today’s proposals. We continue to believe they are unacceptable and unfair,” said Jeremy Dear, NUJ general secretary.

“We will consult with members, give the BBC the chance to address our ongoing concerns. If they fail to do so they will face strike action.”

A previous walkout planned for September has been withdrawn so unions can consult with their members in a series of meetings across BBC sites from September 20 to 30, the unions said.

Earlier this month more than 90 percent of union members voted in favour of taking strike action against the changes, which the broadcaster says are needed to reduce a large pension deficit.

The unions represent about half the BBC’s 19,000 staff affected by the changes.