As Jimmy Kimmel Live! enters its third day off the air, Hollywood’s unions are showing their teeth. From the Writers Guild to SAG-AFTRA, organized labor is closing ranks around Jimmy Kimmel and blasting ABC’s decision to suspend one of late-night’s longest-running fixtures following his comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The message from labor is clear: this isn’t just about one host — it’s about protecting free expression and the workers whose livelihoods depend on it.

Writers Lead the Charge

On Friday, the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) staged a rally outside ABC’s new headquarters in Lower Manhattan. Veteran late-night writers, many of whom have worked on Kimmel’s show or with his peers, turned out to demand his reinstatement.

Sam Wheeler, WGAE’s executive director, didn’t mince words:

“Donald Trump is a tyrant… Brendan Carr’s attack on ABC and its affiliates is an assault on the First Amendment… and ABC’s capitulation to that attack is corporate cowardice at its absolute worst.”

Wheeler directed his anger not at politicians but at executives:

“The people who need to hear this are the executives in this building, because they need to understand this period in American life is not going to last forever, and when it’s over, we are going to have some hard questions about what kind of courage you displayed in this moment.”

Liz Hynes, WGAE Council member and writer for Last Week Tonight, echoed the sentiment:

“Despots are not created. They are enabled. Every single inch that we cede to an autocrat is an inch ceded by cowards.”

The WGA’s East and West branches also issued a joint statement, declaring:

“The right to speak our minds and to disagree with each other—to disturb, even—is at the very heart of what it means to be a free people. It is not to be denied. Not by violence, not by the abuse of governmental power, nor by acts of corporate cowardice.”

SAG-AFTRA and Other Unions Join In

SAG-AFTRA, the powerful performers’ union to which Kimmel belongs, quickly condemned the suspension.

“Democracy thrives when diverse points of view are expressed. The decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live! is the type of suppression and retaliation that endangers everyone’s freedoms,” the union said.

The union later co-signed a joint statement with the Directors Guild of America (DGA), the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).

Their warning was blunt:

“The indefinite removal of Jimmy Kimmel Live! under government pressure is not an isolated incident. It is part of a disturbing trend of increasing interference in creative expression. This kind of political pressure on broadcasters and artists chills free speech and threatens the livelihoods of thousands of working Americans.”

The unions also emphasized the human cost: production staff, stagehands, musicians, and others losing work during the suspension.

“When a private citizen, business, or television network bows to government intimidation, it strikes at the heart of our First Amendment rights. It also pulls the rug out from under the hardworking American workers behind the scenes.”

The Producers Guild of America soon followed with its own statement:

“Late-night television has long been a space where satire and commentary contribute to our national dialogue. We believe artistic expression is essential, and that critical voices must not be silenced.”

From the Picket Line to City Hall

At Friday’s WGA rally, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander joined the chants of “Bring Jimmy back!” and directed his frustration squarely at ABC.

“You can fix this right quick and show which side you’re on by doing one simple thing right now: bring Jimmy back.”

Protests have also taken place outside ABC’s Los Angeles headquarters, with members of multiple guilds showing solidarity.

A Broader Fight

Kimmel’s suspension has become more than a programming dispute. It has galvanized labor unions still fresh off last year’s double strikes, when writers and actors shut down Hollywood for months to win gains in pay and protections.

This time, unions see the fight as existential — a battle over whether political intimidation will dictate what creative workers are allowed to produce.

Their rallying cry: if a major network can be cowed into sidelining one of its top stars under government pressure, no writer, actor, or crew member is safe from the same forces.

Why It Matters

Labor’s unified defense of Kimmel highlights just how much is at stake. This is not just about protecting a millionaire host — it’s about the ecosystem of workers whose jobs depend on shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live! continuing without fear of censorship.

It also reflects a growing willingness by Hollywood unions to wade into fights over democracy itself. After strikes that reasserted their economic clout, unions are now flexing their political muscle, warning that corporate compliance with government pressure endangers everyone.

Conclusion: A Movement Bigger Than Kimmel

Whether Jimmy Kimmel Live! ever returns remains uncertain. But the solidarity shown by Hollywood’s unions suggests this fight won’t fade quietly.

For the Writers Guild, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, DGA, AFM, and PGA, this is no longer just about one show. It’s about the principle that free speech must remain untouchable — and that the livelihoods of thousands of behind-the-scenes workers cannot be sacrificed to appease political power.

As chants of “Bring Jimmy back!” echo outside ABC’s headquarters, one thing is clear: organized labor is not just defending Jimmy Kimmel. It’s defending the very idea of a free press, free art, and a free people.