California state worker unions fight ‘inexplicable and unnecessary’ return-to-office order
Monday’s sudden order from Gov. Gavin Newsom, directing workers back into offices four days a week, has provoked a legal response from labor unions: They have filed “unfair practice” charges with the California Public Employment Relations Board over the new mandate.
That could trigger a complaint by the board and eventually force a formal hearing on the matter in front of an administrative law judge.
Ted Toppin, the executive director of the Professional Engineers in California Government, described the recent change as “inexplicable and unnecessary.” The union primarily represents Department of Transportation employees.
“It really is trying to end a win-win situation,” Toppin said. “The work is getting done. The people’s business is being performed without fail.”
The engineers group and SEIU Local 1000, the largest public sector union in the state, have both filed charges.
Anica Walls, SEIU Local 1000’s president, said in a statement: “Agencies should be making operational decisions based on business needs – not political mandates.”
The Governor’s Office said the state’s human resources division would comment on the charges. Camille Travis, a Department of Human Resources spokesperson, said the state would review the filings and respond through the employment relations board process.
Newsom directed agencies and departments under his purview to make the schedule change by July 1. His office said more than half of the state’s roughly 224,000 full time employees already report to work in person every day.
Many of those affected have expressed frustration and confusion over the timing of the decision.
The governor’s order said the state’s current two-day in person minimum expectation had created “non-aligned work schedules” and had undermined the benefits of working in person. He called the new mandate “an operational necessity, to maximize collaboration, cohesion, efficiency, and accountability.”
The unions allege that the action violates the Ralph C. Dills Act, which outlines labor regulations between the state and public employees, in several ways.
They argue Newsom doesn’t have the unilateral authority to implement the policy, which they say will also remove employee telework stipends. And they said the groups should have had a chance to discuss the order with state officials before the governor issued it.
Both groups are asking for the employment board to tell the state to rescind Newsom’s order. In their filings, the unions said their current agreements cover roughly 105,000 employees combined.
Last year, a labor arbitrator ruled that state agencies can require their employees to come to the office even if their union contracts give them the right to work from home, according to CalMatters.
Unions have announced other actions in response to the governor’s decision.
The California Association of Professional Scientists said it wants to bargain over what exemptions will be allowed under the new mandate. The group and SEIU Local 1000 are also planning to hold protests on Wednesday.
This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 10:27 AM with the headline "California state worker unions fight ‘inexplicable and unnecessary’ return-to-office order."
