One in two council workers are having trouble getting to work due to fuel costs, with four in 10 saying they are spending at least an extra $50 a week, and two in 10 over $100 a new survey has found.
Seven in 10 said current allowances do not cover their increased fuel costs.
The same survey found one in ten are considering leaving the sector altogether due to rising fuel costs.
The results come as their union, the United Services Union (USU), filed for a new award with the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) to lock in work from home rights and a 50% rise in fuel subsidies from the current 83 cents per kilometre.
This would cover 55,000 council workers across NSW.
Daniel Papps, USU head of legal, said the union has applied to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission for a new award to lock in increased fuel allowances, flexible work arrangements, work location changes and job protections during the war.
"Last week we wrote to all 128 councils in NSW asking them to look at work from home provisions for staff who are able to, and for consideration of four day weeks for those who cannot.
"Since then we have seen no change in the situation in the Middle East and so now we are ramping up our efforts on behalf of our members to make sure they're not carrying the impact of this crisis.
"We want staff who can work from home to be allowed to keep petrol and diesel in the bowsers for other council workers like tradies, truck drivers, and groundskeepers who need it.
"We've also suggested a four day week arrangement be considered for staff who can't work from home, so that might mean they work an extra few hours each day, but save themselves one daily commute.
"This is important for our regional members who sometimes drive 100 kilometres back and forth to work each day, and our members in the city who struggle with hour-long commutes to and from work.
"We're also asking the Industrial Relations Commission to consider higher kilometre reimbursements for our members.
"Most of our members are already struggling financially and a doubling of their fuel bill is not something they can easily afford."
The first hearing of the USU's application for a new award will commence at 10am today Thursday the 9th of April in Parramatta at the NSW IRC before Commissioner Anthony Howell.
