By Doug Cunningham

As the sub-prime mortgage crisis and record home foreclosures continue to reverberate through the U.S. economy, UNITE-HERE has launched a multi-state effort encouraging people not to invest in Countrywide Financial Corporation. The union representing hotel and textile workers says Countrywide is a lead player in the sub-prime lending practices that resulted in the current crisis and needs to do more to grant serious relief to many borrowers at risk of foreclosure. Countrywide is both the largest mortgage lender in the U.S. and the biggest sub-prime lender.