ATHENS – A road accident on Crete that killed three workers and seriously injured another as they were returning from a long shift in the early morning is because of lagging labor inspections, major opposition SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis said.

After meeting with party members in Chania, he used the visit to criticize the New Democracy government for what he said was letting employers getting away with driving workers past regular shifts and paying them less than the minimum wage.

He also said the road on which they were traveling was in poor shape and had failed to be maintained but that the main cause was that the victims worked from noon until as much as 5 a.m. the next day and are fatigued.

“We cannot accept this situation any longer, this country cannot remain insensitive, whether it’s about the kids in the car accident or the kids in Tempi,” he said, referring to a 2023 train collision that killed 57 people.

“Failure is not the fate of the Greek people. We must realize there are state responsibilities, and of course those of employers and whoever is taking advantage of these poor kids, that are trying to earn a day’s wage,” he said.

But the government earlier said that labor inspectors were stepping up checks of workplaces to ensure that conditions are suitable although there’s also a six-day workweek in place for some businesses.

Labor Minister Niki Kerameus said there have been 7.4 percent more inspections and 15.1 percent more fines for violations found in the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2023.

Data from the Independent Labor Inspection Authority showed there were 44,983 inspections in that time, on a pace to exceed its record 73,579 inspections made in 2023 and that there were 9,946 cases of fines totaling €26,639,275 ($29,755,804.)

But the ministry said most fines were for failing to post a list of employees; work time violations; undeclared employees; and non-payment of wages, overtime and other bonuses. In hundreds of cases, employers either refused access to inspectors, refused to provide data or made inaccurate declarations.