President Artur Bernardes traded strikes and demonstrations for celebrations and public events when he declared may 1st as a national holiday and Getulio Vargas, after him, created a ministry for work and industry, and added the work rights to the national constitution - widely establishing the improvements and policies that at that point had only been adopted by a few national companies.

this day is taken to share and educate about the values of work, effort, and incentive - with events created to communicate with and reward the community such as talks, lectures and local events are organized across rio de janeiro.

the first week of may also holds ceremonies to commemorate the allied victory of world war ii - visitors can expect air shows over copacabana and ipanema, and possibly a visit by the president of the republic.