General secretary Bob Crow is warning that 535 out of 2915 Tube Lines’ staff posts are under threat as Mayor Boris Johnson and Transport for London completed their takeover of the underground maintenance company this week.

The RMT has confirmed a further 48 hours of strike action on Tube Lines between 19.00 hours on Wednesday July 14 and 18.59 hours on Friday July 16.

Crow said: “With TfL and the Mayor now taking control of the failed Tube Lines operation he has no excuse whatsoever for not intervening in the dispute over jobs and conditions which has left 535 out of 2915 staff facing the prospect of being thrown on the scrap heap.

“The simple fact is that the job cuts being cooked up would make it impossible for the Mayor and his officials to get the tube upgrade works back on track and would have dire implications for tube safety as essential maintenance works back up in the system.

“For too long Boris Johnson has tried to wash his hands of responsibility for the ongoing attacks on jobs and safety on London Underground and with today’s announcement on the Tube Lines takeover we are demanding that he steps up to the plate and starts sorting out the mess that has been left behind by the final collapse of PPP.

“Our members remain absolutely determined to fight to protect their jobs, their living standards and safety and service delivery across the tube network and will not sit idly by waiting for a tragedy to bring the management to their senses.”