RMT names four more strike dates hitting EMR Intercity and Connect services

East Midlands Railway (EMR) faces a fresh round of disruption after the RMT union confirmed four more strike dates, including one falling on the August bank holiday, according to [2]. The union will strike on Sunday 30 August, Monday 31 August, Wednesday 16 September and Thursday 17 September, according to [2]. It is the second bout of industrial action in a month for the RMT, which represents rail, maritime and transport workers, according to [2]. The action affects EMR's Intercity route, which links the East Midlands with London, Manchester and Liverpool, and its Connect route between St Pancras and Luton Airport, according to [2]. EMR's regional services, which run between rural areas and larger cities, will not be affected, according to [2]. EMR said it was still assessing the impact of the strikes and would publish details of the services it expects to run on the affected days "soon," according to [2]. Philippa Cresswell, the company's Customer Experience Director, said: "We understand how important it is for our customers to have certainty about their travel plans and recognise the uncertainty and disruption this strike action will cause, particularly over the August Bank Holiday." She added that teams were "currently working through the detail" of a service plan and would share updates via the company's website, stations and social media channels, according to [2]. The dispute is not new. EMR staff already walked out earlier in August over alleged problems with the company's new Aurora fleet, including reported issues with air conditioning units, according to [2]. EMR told the Nottingham Post that the Class 810 Aurora trains had passed "rigourous" safety tests before entering service, according to [2]. EMR and the RMT have met six times in an attempt to resolve the underlying issues, according to [2]. A separate account, from a reader comment attributed to a "Customer Experience Director at EMR" and posted on a rail enthusiast website, complains more broadly about the operator's reliability — citing "clapped out" declassified Class 360 trains, missed connections at Kettering, and the need to change trains twice between Sheffield and Luton, according to [1]. That source is a comment thread rather than a company statement, and its claim to speak for a named EMR director could not be verified from the material provided — readers should treat it as anecdotal, not confirmed company comment. For Wayne, the practical takeaway is straightforward: anyone relying on EMR's Intercity or Connect services on 30-31 August or 16-17 September should expect reduced timetables and build in contingency, particularly given the bank holiday clash. EMR has not yet published which specific trains will run, according to [2]. What to watch next: EMR's detailed service plan for the four strike dates, due to be published closer to the action, and whether the six rounds of talks between EMR and the RMT produce a resolution before September.