UK's United Utilities says trade unions call for two-day walkout

(Reuters) - United Utilities Group Plc (UU.L) said on Friday that trade unions Unite, Unison and Prospect have asked their members to stage a two-day walkout over a dispute regarding the British water utility's pension scheme.

Around a third of United Utilities' employees are expected to strike on March 16 and 19, but the company said it planned to keep its services running as normal.

The company said it had already agreed with unions to introduce a "hybrid" pension scheme rather than scrap its defined benefit scheme.

"Many companies have found that final salary pension schemes have become much more expensive to fund and United Utilities is no exception," United Utilities said.

Lat month, Britain's Royal Mail and the Communications Workers Union reached an agreement to end a nearly 10-month dispute over plans to replace the firm's defined benefit pension scheme.

(Reporting by Radhika Rukmangadhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)