‘Bludge job’: Traffic control tradie reveals what he really earns

A Queensland man has been praised for sharing what he really earns working in the traffic control industry — and it’s not $200,000 a year, as some claim.

A traffic controller has been praised online for revealing his honest salary after taking up the “bludge job”.

The Queensland man, who also works as a real estate agent, revealed he earns $35 an hour as a traffic controller after picking up the side gig over three years ago.

“Anyone who wants a sort of bludge job where you don’t have to do much, traffic control is definitely the way to go,” he said in a TikTok video shared by Getahead, a Brisbane-based tech start-up (that) matches jobseekers with employers.

“You literally get paid to stand here … there are definitely worse gigs out there.”

The traffic control worker said he earns $35 an hour. Picture: [e-mail]

He called the side gig a “bludge job”. Picture: [e-mail]

The man had to complete a two-day course before taking up the job and was free to accept or decline shifts offered the night before.

“For a bludge job that you don’t have to care about, this is definitely it.”

The video was later interrupted when another worker stepped in to reveal the “supervisor’s getting a bit upset” he had stopped work to film the video.

Many online praised the worker for being honest about how much he earns in the industry, where others have shared they take home $200,000.

“Finally an honest traffic controller,” one person wrote.

“Finally a traffic controller that isn’t making 10k a week,” said another.

“First one who hasn’t exaggerated,” another wrote.

The video was interrupted when another worker said the “supervisor was getting a bit upset”. Picture: [e-mail]

In a separate video on TikTok video shared by Getahead earlier this year, Queenslander Suzie Rose revealed she earned between $140,000 and $200,000 a year, cashing in on lucrative penalty rates and loading benefits.

“Usually we are the first on the job and the last (to leave),” she said.

“I own a traffic control company in Sydney for 12 years and I’m sure she doesn’t make that much money,” one sceptic commented on the video.

Queensland mum Suzie Rose revealed her eye watering salary in a candid street interview earlier this year. Picture: TikTok@Getahead

“It’s between 39k-80k depending on experience. But, traffic control is not bed of roses. They have their favourites and you will be lucky to get five hours (of work),” claimed another.

Another female worker, Paris Taylor, took to the social media app last year to share she earned $3500 in a single week.

According to the employment listing website Talent, Australia’s average traffic control salary is $77,800 a year, with the most experienced making up to $96,000 per year.

Originally published as ‘Bludge job’: Traffic control tradie reveals what he really earns