Millions of commuters face fresh misery next week as London Underground workers plan a 72-hour walkout.
The strikes, which come a week ahead of the mayoral election, stretch over four days and will involve the people who maintain and upgrade the tracks who are unhappy with negotiations over pensions and benefits.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union, which represents around 1,000 staff on the Tube Lines contracts, said its members will walk out at 4pm on Tuesday until the same time on Friday.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: 'RMT members have delivered a massive mandate for action following a straightforward demand for parity with other Tube staff.
'This dispute is about justice and about ensuring that all groups of staff under the umbrella of London Underground receive the same rights and benefits, and our members have no choice but to strike to secure those basic rights.
The staff work on the Piccadilly, Northern and Jubilee lines and provide a number of services, including emergency repairs, across the entire network.
The row is over union demands for all Tube Lines staff to be allowed to join the Transport for London pension scheme and receive the same travel concessions as those who work for London Underground.
RMT officials said the strike will have a 'widespread impact on Tube services across the network.
The announcement follows a 4-1 vote in favour of industrial action in a ballot of union members.
Colin Stanbridge, chief executive of London Chamber of Commerce, said: 'The last thing London businesses need at the minute is another Tube strike costing millions in lost business and damaging the city's reputation especially with just 100 days to go to the Olympics.
'The RMT should call off this needless strike and work to find a settlement before any damage is done.'
Mr Crow continued: 'We have gone through all the negotiating channels but Tube Lines has refused to budge and have refused to engage in meaningful talks and that pig-headed approach has raised the temperature on the shop floor and has resulted in this strike action being called.
'Former Metronet employees have been allowed back into the Transport for London pension fund and now also have the same travel facilities as other LU employees.
'Tube Lines is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London and there is simply no excuse for refusing to give equal pension and pass rights.
'The union remains ready to talk, and the strong mandate for this industrial action shows Tube Lines and TfL the depth of anger there is over this blatant lack of fairness and justice.'
Tube Lines operations director Lee Jones said: 'A strike on this issue is completely unnecessary and will not achieve anything.
'We urge the RMT leadership to end their strike threat and return to talks, as it will only be resolved through constructive discussion.
'The RMT's ballot showed that less than 44 per cent of its members voted in favour of strike action. Any action would be by maintenance staff, not Tube drivers and station staff.
'Should a strike go ahead, we have plans in place which will enable London Underground to operate Tube services on all three lines and to minimise any disruption.'
Earlier this month it was revealed that London Underground drivers could earn an extra £6,000 in bonus payments for working during the Olympics this summer.
Drivers are also in line for overtime payments, and enhanced pay packets for shifts which extend beyond 1.30am.
Previously, MPs have condemned payments to drivers as a 'bribe' and accused the unions of holding the public to ransom.
Underground drivers have been offered the latest terms by transport chiefs for a period covering nine weeks to the end of the Paralympics, according to a document seen by the Evening Standard.
A spokesman for London Mayor Boris Johnson said: 'It will come as no surprise to Londoners that, a week before the mayoral election, Ken Livingstone's RMT friend Bob Crow is trying to hit hard-working Londoners and businesses.'
Mr Livingstone's deputy mayoral running mate, Val Shawcross, said: 'The failure of Boris Johnson and the RMT to resolve their differences comes at a huge cost to Londoners. Now millions of Tube users are facing the huge inconvenience and disruption that comes with a Tube strike.
'It has been 1,444 days since Boris Johnson was elected and he has still not bothered to meet representatives of the Tube unions to discuss his manifesto promise to implement a no-strike deal.
'Boris Johnson's failure to get a grip of the Tube has led to more Tube strikes in the last four years than in the previous eight years.'
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat chairman of London Assembly's Transport Committee, said: 'This is a dispute between Tube Lines and the RMT.
'For the RMT to try and involve innocent Tube users in an internal disagreement is totally out of order, especially given the damage it will do to London's economy.
'Both sides should get back round a table, hammer out a solution and the RMT should stop posturing.'
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At least it's only a partial strike, and not a full system shutdown. The Metropolitan line can handle the load for the lines that will shut down. And I've never been to London, but based on the articles I've read, Boris Johnson seems like a jackass. He reminds me of NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg.
, indeed the Piccadilly only interchanges with the Metropolitan line once, the Northern twice, and Jubilee thrice (though in that case all within about 8 miles).
