A worker accused of stealing was beaten by his factory's security guards because he refused to appear before his colleagues half-naked. Another factory forces "slow" workers to take leave and denies them access to the canteen.

Such incidents have raised concerns over the harsh - and often illegal - rules at some Dongguan factories, reports Information Times.

Liu Yingqiu, a Jiangxi native working in Changping Town, said he strolled along the roof of his dormitory one night when he couldn't get to sleep, but security guards insisted he was planning to steal from the other employees.

Liu was ordered to a "confession" by standing in the canteen wearing just his underpants as punishment. When he refused, he was beaten for more than one hour, Liu said.

And Zhu Linjiao, an 18-year-old Henan woman working in Huangjiang Town, said she went without food for three days after her supervisor said she was too slow.

As a factory rule, she was forced to take a three-day leave of absence and, hence, was barred from entering the factory canteen. Workers at the factory earn about 300 yuan (US$36) a month, but their pay is often late. And they can't afford to eat out, Zhu said.

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