American Axle, UAW talks progressing -report

DETROIT, April 16 (Reuters) - American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc (AXL.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and the United Auto Workers (UAW) have made significant progress towards an agreement to end the union's seven-week strike at the parts maker, influential industry publication Automotive News reported on Wednesday.

The two sides have made progress on wages, health care and job classification issues and a tentative contract could be reached by this weekend, the publication reported on its website, citing a source familiar with the discussions.

Representatives from American Axle and the union could not be reached immediately for comment on the report.

Automotive News also reported that a UAW protest rally scheduled for Friday in support of striking American Axle workers had been called off because of the progress in the talks, citing the former president of a UAW local unit that represents American Axle workers in Detroit.

About 3,650 American Axle workers represented by the UAW have been on strike at five U.S. plants in Michigan and New York since Feb. 26.

The strike has forced General Motors Corp (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) to at least partly idle about 30 plants because of a shortage of parts. GM accounts for about 80 percent of American Axle's revenue.

American Axle has said it must cut wages and benefits of hourly paid workers at the plants to compete against rivals that have labor costs about one-third as high. It has also said it has offered workers buyouts to leave or annual cash payouts to soften the blow if they accept wage and benefit cuts. (Editing by Alan Raybould)