Ion keeps turning on workers even after unpatching

I would start by identifying your control source and double check that it is in fact your ION. After that, look at the about section in the CIA for where the channels/addresses are being used. Based on your description of the issue occurring during startup I would suspect a startup macro is at play, activating your work lights. Startup macros are at the console level before the show file. It is incredibly unlikely and rare, though not impossible, for a console to do things on its own. It needs input in order to output.

Parked addresses?

If it's not that, I would make sure my showfile is saved to the hard drive, then exit to the shell and perform a deep clear (Shell, Settings, Maintenance, Deep Clear). Then start as primary. At this point the console isn't outputting anything at all. Workers on or off? Load the showfile, workers on or off? Run a cue, workers on or off? Shutdown the console, and start again, workers on or off?