SAfrica's NUM seeks 15 pct wage hike from gold firms

JOHANNESBURG, April 20 (Reuters) - The National Union of Mineworkers on Monday asked for a 15 percent wage increase from South Africa's gold and coal producers, and said the negotiations on their pay would begin in the second week of May.

"The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has this morning submitted its demand for the 2009 round of wage negotiations to the Chamber of Mines," the union said in a statement.

"NUM members made it clear that in this year`s round of negotiations, they are going to demand nothing less or nothing more than 15 percent on wages."

South Africa's inflation stood at 8.6 percent in February.

(Reporting by James Macharia)