State workers’ union claims bad water, bedbugs, asbestos among post-RTO ‘hazards’
State employees reported asbestos, bedbugs, waterborne bacteria and other “hazardous conditions” in government workplaces after returning to offices under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mandate.
In a press release Thursday, Service Employees International Union Local 1000 said that workers reported “unsafe, or potentially unsafe working conditions” after the in-person work mandate took effect July 1.
Legionella bacteria concern in Lodi building
The statement details a recent discovery of Legionella bacteria in the Department of Industrial Relations Building in Lodi, which the union says was detected in June 2026. The bacteria has contaminated a line that connects to an icemaker used by employees, according to the statement.
The press release also mentions that the union is monitoring several other state buildings where Legionella had been discovered previously, such as the complex that houses the Department of Public Health in 2024 and the California Public Employees’ Retirement System offices in 2019.
Legionella bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a serious type of pneumonia, if contaminated water is aerosolized and inhaled, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Common forms of transmission include droplets from showers and faucets, air conditioners and flushing toilets.
The bacteria often grow in “human-made water building systems,” according to the CDC. Stagnant bodies of water, such as air conditioners and cooling towers, are especially at risk of developing Legionella colonies.
According to Lodi Public Information Officer Nancy Sarieh, the presence of Legionella in the building is a “site-specific issue.” By using backflow filtration, she said, the city ensures the water in its system is safe to drink. After the water enters a building’s pipes, it is the building manager’s responsibility to ensure its cleanliness, according to Sarieh.
“Recent test results indicated a need for remediation at the Department of Industrial Relations’ (DIR) privately leased office on Reynolds Ranch Parkway in Lodi,” wrote Department of Industrial Relations spokesperson Katherine Wzorek in an email. “DIR has shared these findings with property management for the leased building and is coordinating with them as they implement the necessary corrective actions.”
According to Wzorek, remediation measures may include disinfecting and flushing plumbing fixtures, adjusting hot water temperatures, and routinely flushing the building’s water system. She wrote that staff members will be informed of any additional guidance or temporary precautions as needed.
CalPERS office had Legionella present in 2019-20
In August 2019, “high levels” of Legionella bacteria were found in the shower head of the men’s locker room in the California Public Employees’ Retirement Building in Sacramento. In the summer of 2020, further tests showed that Legionella was present in various water sources in CalPERS’ Lincoln Plaza north, east and west buildings.
According to the union’s press release, the state currently deems Legionella levels in the CalPERS building and East End complex “acceptable” under Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.
Mary Lynne Vellinga, spokesperson for CalPERS said that the agency conducts testing through Arcadis, a third-party company that abides by CalOSHA’s cleaning standards.
Bedbugs persistent at Dept. of Education
California Department of Education employees have expressed concerns about an ongoing bedbug infestation in their Sacramento headquarters.
An employee first spotted two bedbugs by their desk June 3, prompting CDE leadership to evacuate the building and allow work to be done remotely.
Following a “deep-clean” of “affected areas and surrounding workstations” and an all-clear from bedbug-sniffing dogs, an email from CDE chief deputy superintendents Dave Schapira and Ingrid Robertson authorized employees to return to in-office work June 8.
However, in the following weeks employees on several of the building’s floors noticed bug bites on their ankles, according to CDE analyst Nicole Pineda. Pineda works on the sixth floor and noticed bites on her ankles after leaving work on June 17. She said three of her colleagues on the building’s fourth floor also noticed bites characteristic of bed bugs in the weeks following their return to office.
Employees found several dozen bedbugs on June 23 in the building’s suite 3407, the site of a previous infestation in 2024. According to the Department of General Services’ report, suite 3407 was not among the areas inspected by pest control prior to employees’ return.
Since this discovery, employees have worked remotely and are projected to return to the office no earlier than Monday, July 13. According to SEIU Local 1000 District Labor Council 764 President Cecelia Wilson, union stewards are making continued attempts to discuss the issue with DGS.
“I keep trying to say the same thing,” Wilson said. “Spray the whole building … We’ve laid it heavy on our department management, who has been getting mail to the extreme. They’re probably sick of us, but that’s what’s going to happen until we can get this to change.”
Department of General Services Assistant Deputy Director Fallon Okwuosa said that DGS acted immediately upon being notified of the presence of bedbugs and closed the building.
“It is not true that there is an ‘infestation’ at the building, nor is it true that DGS has refused to treat the whole building,” Okwuosa said. “While our contracted pest management consultants do not recommend whole building treatment after having inspected the building, we are working with the Department of Education on next steps, which may include whole building treatment.”
Asbestos remediation at CalTrans
The press release noted that the Department of Transportation’s lab was found to have airborne asbestos in 2024, and various Trans Lab facilities underwent an asbestos removal procedure in April 2025.
According to Caltrans Deputy Division Chief of Public Affairs Christopher Clark, air samples in three buildings on the Caltrans Laboratory campus tested positive for asbestos in October and December 2024.
“After reviewing these findings, Caltrans acted swiftly to notify employees, close the affected buildings, and relocate staff to safe working environments,” Clark wrote in an email.
According to Amber Rich, communications director for SIEU Local 1000, a transportation lab facility tested positive for airborne asbestos in 2026.
Two of the three buildings have remained closed to staff since asbestos was first detected, Clark wrote. All asbestos-containing materials will be removed or encapsulated, and any remaining asbestos material will be monitored when the buildings reopen, according to Clark. He wrote that remediation of the issue is expected to be complete in 2027.
“While remediation is underway on the other two buildings, employees are working in alternative offices,” Clark wrote. “Once remediation is finished and air quality testing confirms the locations are safe for re-occupancy in line with all regulations, staff will transition back.”
