UFCW Local 888 was chartered in 1957 by the Retail Clerks International Association. The first election held under the new by-laws took place at union headquarters at 250 West 57th Street in New York City. This resulted in the seating of it's first officers - Sidney Heller, President, Manny Barfield, Secretary-Treasurer, and Jerry Perrault, Recording Secretary. Local 888 was known as the "melting pot" union in the melting pot city. During it's 40 year history, over twelve different Locals have merged together, forming Local 888.

Original Local 888 Officers Letf to right: Manny Barfield, Jerry Perrault, Sidney Heller, Harry Grossman, Danny Fuchs, Bob Kramer.

Local 888 moved into it's current headquarters in January, 1996, and it's staff has grown from 5 officers and a secretary in 1967, to over 40 employees. We continue to grow larger each year, and in 1997 our staff of talented organizers added 375 new members to Local 888, adding to our current membership of over 10,000 workers.