[Fig.] Dell computers were jointly boycotted by Hong Kong universities and accused of being made in sweatshops.

According to Hong Kong media reports, a survey team from seven universities in Hong Kong accused Dell's contract manufacturing plant of being a "sweatshop" after an investigation, and launched a campaign to boycott Dell computers, excluding them from the procurement of student machines at Hong Kong universities. According to the report, between November last year and August this year, university students from seven universities in Hong Kong jointly formed a team to conduct investigations at three Dell computer component production plants in Dongguan (including Chang'an Optoelectronics Co., Ltd., Xuji Electronics Co., Ltd., and Shijie Tairei Plastic Electronics Plant), and interviewed 60 workers from different departments. The team found that these three factories seriously violated relevant provisions of the Labor Law. Not only were the working conditions poor, but regular wages for workers were only 17 yuan per day, with an average hourly wage of 2.1 yuan, and overtime pay was only 3.5 yuan per hour, far below the national stipulated rate of more than 4 yuan. There was generally only 15 minutes for meals, no annual leave or maternity leave, and no labor contracts, making it difficult to claim compensation if issues arose. Moreover, some jobs were relatively dangerous positions, but the factory provided no protective measures.