LONDON—South Africa is likely to start official gold-mining wage talks sometime in the middle of July as unions have lodged their demands, including for sharp pay increases, against a backdrop of tense labor relations.

The Chamber of Mines received demands from four labor unions that will form the basis of the wage talks, said Elize Strydom, the senior executive in charge of industrial relations at the chamber.

“It is incumbent upon all of us to agree on a protocol on what we will negotiate, and what will be acceptable and won’t be acceptable conduct,” she said.

Wage contracts come to an end June 30, but she said even though wage negotiations are only likely to start in the middle of July, the results of those talks could be applied retroactively from July 1.

via South Africa Readies for Gold-Mining Wage Talks – WSJ.com.