In Memoriam
Beth Shulman’s life is a testament to the power of an individual to make a difference in the lives of others, and move our nation closer to justice. A committed defender of low-wage workers, she laid out a visionary frame of an America full of good, family-sustaining jobs. We remember Shulman for her resolute advocacy and her substantial contributions as a founding board member of American Rights at Work.

A nationally-known champion of workers’ rights, Shulman argued for making “bad jobs” into “good jobs” by giving people the power to create better working conditions. In her 2003 book, “The Betrayal of Work: How Low-Wage Jobs Fail 30 Million Americans,” Shulman exposed the systemic cycle of low wages, powerlessness, and exploitation keeping millions in working poverty. Throughout her career as a civil and employment rights lawyer, policy advocate, noted author, and a longtime UFCW vice president, she made her point of view accessible through writings, media appearances, and speaking engagements across the country.

Shulman called for public policy and labor law reform to address the profound inequalities keeping the American Dream beyond the reach of far too many. “Whether we give basic rights to these workers and give them more power to change their conditions is our choice,” she wrote. A strong advocate for the Employee Free Choice Act, she also supported ensuring affordable health insurance coverage, and guaranteeing paid family leave. Her vision led her to sit on the boards of many policy and economic justice organizations.

At American Rights at Work, we remember Shulman’s fierce conviction that our nation could be better because we have the power to make it so. She firmly believed that restoring the middle class was a matter of national will that was our responsibility to inspire. At her passing, she was at work on a new book on the topic, titled “A Good Jobs Nation.” She has indelibly shaped our organization’s work to advance labor law reform and ensure access to dignified, family-supporting jobs for all of America’s workers.