Bob Crow said they had "hammered out a deal that sets the standard"

The deal, agreed by London Underground (LU) station staff, will also give them a 35-hour week and 52 days holiday a year, the union revealed.

It also said the agreement would pave the way for later running of Tubes on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Bob Crow, of the RMT, said they had "hammered out a deal that sets the standard for the industry".

An LU spokesman said: "We are pleased we have reached agreement on the implementation of a five-day, 35-hour working week.

"We are also pleased with the RMT's commitments to run the Tube for 24-hours on New Year's Eve and to the principle of later services on Friday and Saturday nights."

LU also announced that crime and anti-social behaviour on the Tube had been "dramatically" cut in east London after a joint initiative with British Transport Police.

According to figures, robbery in the six months to September was down by a third, assaults were reduced by 7%, assaults on staff by 25% and vandalism by 37%.

Operation Cyprus, which targeted the east end of the District Line, led to 75 arrests and the issuing of 450 penalty fares.