In Brazil the confusion is great as there are those who mention Work, while others mention Worker. Which one should be used?

Let’s go back to 1924, Brazil was governed by Arthur Bernardes who had faced major national strikes in previous years. Worried about the situation and the possibility of “souring”, even more, the relations between bosses and workers, President Bernardes decreed the 1st of May as a special date dedicated to the Worker.

That’s right, first the day was dedicated to the Worker: “Single article: the 1st of May is considered a national holiday, dedicated to the universal fraternity of the working classes and the commemoration of the martyrs of work; provisions to the contrary are revoked,” says the 1924 document.

Among the measures enacted by the government were the guarantee of medical assistance and retirement for railway workers in 1923 and the one that regulated paid vacations. These benefits were later incorporated by other categories as well.

As in Brazil, everything that is good can get even better, when Getúlio Vargas took office, he shifted the focus from the personal (worker) to the general (work) and the date that was always seen as an occasion for demonstrations, strikes, riots social, passed the opportunity for parties, civic parades.

In the dictator’s mind, he had already given many benefits to the workers, so he no longer needed to keep a day for them.

And so it was following the date, which for a long time was just a holiday until social movements decided to reactivate the idea of ​​claiming rights on this occasion.

It is Worker Day in Brazil, (in any category, not just manual workers) as there is no decree transforming this day into Work Day!