Wellington's deputy mayor is slamming the city's Chamber of Commerce for taking the City Council to court over the living wage.

The chamber is taking legal action over the council's decision to bring in the living wage for security workers.

Justin Lester said it's a curmudgeonly move.

"This is a fiscally irresponsible move by the chamber. They're really losing money. I don't know why they'd pursue court action here and it's going to be a cost to council, therefore to ratepayers, to defend this judicial review."

He has accused the Chamber of picking on council workers already on the bottom of the pay ladder.

"It's a small increase but it means a lot to those people who don't earn an awful lot, so I'm not sure why they are picking on those people."