Some of Australia's biggest employers may make workers pay for their own superannuation rise.

Australia superannuation guarantee is legislated to increase from 9.5 per cent to 10 per cent from July 1, and then rise 0.5 per cent each year, until it reaches 12 per cent by 2025.

But experts warn that workers whose super is included as part of their total salary package could end up taking home a smaller pay cheque. Employers are legally allowed to take super rises out of a worker's base pay if their contract says so.

Workers from Telstra, AGL, ANZ and Macquarie Group say they have begun receiving emails and letters confirming that their super increase will be funded out of their base pay. 

Telstra, AGL and ANZ have confirmed that workers on these types of contracts will see their pay go backwards, while Macquarie Group has remained silent on the question. 

Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O’Neil says now is not the time to pass on the super increase. 

“It's working people that have got us through the pandemic, and in many cases, paid the price of losing hours, losing jobs and losing pay,” she said.

“Now's the time, we should be supporting people — making sure that they have fair wage increases, and that they have that confidence of knowing they're going to have enough to retire on when they come to that point in their life.”