A legal battle is now pitting workers at the Port of Sacramento against the City of West Sacramento and the port district over the future of the port as we know it. 

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union said the city is trying to close the Port of Sacramento down and now they're asking for a court to issue a ruling.

New legal documents filed by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union have filed a lawsuit alleging West Sacramento and the port district are "scheming" to "wind down industrial operations at the Port," so that the operations can "be replaced with residential development."

The port general manager and the city did not reply to my requests for a comment, but a city spokesperson told the Sacramento Bee the allegations have no merit or basis.

Last year, Tim Campbell, the president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 18, raised concerns that the port is facing political pressure to close.

"It's incredible what this port has done for this region, and to even talk about closing it down doesn't make any sense at all," Campbell said. "The rice companies, the cement companies, they rely on this port being open."

Campbell named the proposed Enterprise Bridge as a reason for his concern then.

"The bridge is the key stakeholder in this port closing right now," Campbell said.

One of the bridge designs being considered would cross the port's deep water channel, effectively blocking cargo ships from using the port.

The Enterprise Bridge is now named in the new lawsuit, asking a judge to weigh on the port's future along with allegations that the port district and city have been "decommissioning" and "dismantling" bulk cargo handling facilities.

Port budget documents show the port had a net operating budget of $1 million last year.

The lawsuit is asking a judge to declare the legal settlement of this dispute and to stop the city and port district from taking actions that would close the port.