London Underground (LU) station cleaners have begun a 48-hour strike in a dispute over pay.
The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said members working for Initial and ISS contractors would not turn up for work for two days from 5:30 GMT.
A spokesman from ISS said the company was disappointed the RMT had called the strikes as it planned to introduce new pay rates in March.
LU said it did not expect Tube services to be affected.
The RMT's general secretary Bob Crow said the cleaners were doing "some of the dirtiest jobs" on minimum pay.
'Social justice'Mr Crow said: "It is these same staff who have played a key role in keeping services clean and safe who are now forced again by their employers to take action for a living wage and recognition of their efforts.
"2013 has to be about equality, inclusiveness and social justice and that's what our cleaners are standing up for as the spotlight shines on London."
The RMT said workers also planned to stage a mass picket at King's Cross station for two hours from 07:00.
A statement from LU said: "This is a dispute between ISS, Initial and the RMT which we urge all parties to resolve without any unnecessary strike action."
It said Transport for London fully supported the mayor's London Living Wage, which was increased to £8.55 per hour in November.
An ISS spokesman said: "We have already informed the union that we will be introducing the London Living Wage for all of our staff supporting Transport for London at the end of March.
"It is a real shame that the RMT has asked its members to give up pay when it knows that we have already agreed to introduce the new pay rates with our customers."
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