[3][5] One of her chief accomplishments for the union was the defeat of a bill (promoted by the Enron Corp.) to deregulate Oregon's electricity market.

[5] In 1998, she led the AFL–CIO's successful effort to defeat California Proposition 226, which would have denied dues check-off to public employees belonging to unions and required all union members in the state to annually give their assent before any portion of their dues could be used for political purposes.

[3][5] She was appointed executive assistant to IBEW President Edwin Hill in June 2004, making her the highest-ranking woman in the union's history.

[6][5][2][7] Shuler supervised and coordinated 11 of the IBEW's departments, including its education, research, political/legislative affairs, public relations, and workplace safety divisions.

[6][5][7] Gregory Junemann, president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, also ran for the position.

[7][4] She also said she would work with the AFL–CIO's affiliates to balance the federation's budget,[7] which was running a deficit and whose liabilities exceeded its assets by $2.3 million in 2008.