Pursuing Osgoode’s LLM in Labour and Employment Law gave Alika Hendricks the opportunity to examine the larger forces shaping labour relations. Already working as a Legal Aid Ontario staff lawyer while holding union leadership responsibilities, she enrolled to deepen her understanding of the legal and policy frameworks underpinning workplace advocacy.
“I wanted to take a step back and have an appreciation of the bigger picture,” she says. “I wanted to refine my advocacy by being in an academic setting with other professionals who had diverse backgrounds and perspectives on the world of labour.” The program helped her connect daily legal work with broader structural questions in labour relations.
That perspective was shaped by the cohort. Students came from unions, management, human resources, arbitration, and legal practice, creating a learning environment grounded in real workplace complexity. Class discussions reflected competing interests in labour disputes, making theory immediately relevant to practice. “The other students who I had the privilege to work with and study alongside were really quite exceptional professionals in their own right,” she says. “There were people with a lot of different backgrounds and experiences, and the ability to learn from them really made the LLM experience practical and valuable.” Peer exchange challenged assumptions and strengthened her analysis.
The program directly influenced her work in collective bargaining, grievance resolution, and workplace advocacy. Studying labour law jurisprudence improved her ability to interpret disputes and advise members. She increasingly drew on case law rather than experience alone, bringing more structure to her decision-making. Human rights law, particularly the duty to accommodate, was especially relevant. She studied cases involving workers with disabilities and gained a clearer understanding of how accommodation issues arise across workplaces. This has been directly applicable in supporting members through complex situations.
“It was helpful to be reminded that these are issues that exist in so many workplaces,” she says. “The struggles that our members are experiencing are shared by others, and while there are a lot of nuances, it is possible to find a path forward.” This perspective has helped her approach disputes with more patience and a focus on solutions.
Balancing graduate studies with full-time legal work, union leadership, and family responsibilities required careful coordination. Alika credits her family’s support and the program’s flexibility for working professionals. Intensive courses and evening classes allowed her to remain fully engaged in her roles while completing the degree. Beyond coursework, the program emphasized the importance of specialized labour law expertise for union leaders. Discussions on organizing, strategy, and the future of the labour movement encouraged her to think more broadly about how unions respond to change.
“Being a labour activist and union leader isn’t just about preserving what we have,” she says. “It is also about offering a vision for what a good life can look like.” For Alika, that vision depends on informed leadership grounded in experience and law.
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