When did ILO agree to review the situation in Colombia?
In early March, Coca-Cola and the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) separately and formally requested that ILO conduct the investigation (see the IUF press release). On March 24, ILO announced that it has agreed to conduct the investigation. What happened to the protocol developed by the multi-university commission, of which U-M was a member? Last year the University of Michigan joined with several other interested universities to form a Commission to work with Coca-Cola on these issues. The Commission recommended a protocol for an independent, third-party investigation. However, in December 2005, Coca-Cola wrote to the Commission to indicate that concerns over a lawsuit filed against its Colombian bottling plants would make it difficult for Coca-Cola to agree to the protocol developed by the Commission. The University of Michigan continues to participate in the Commission and to work with Coca-Cola on
