Since Albany Medical Center nurses announced their plans to vote on forming a union earlier this month, representatives from the state's nurses association say nurses have fallen victim to coercive tactics from the hospital's management.

"There's been veiled threats of not being able to take vacation if the union gets voted in, that wages will be frozen for the duration of negotiations," said NYS Nurses Association Director of Organizing Eliza Carboni.

In a written statement released Thursday, Governor Andrew Cuomo said he was directing the Department of Labor to investigation the allegations of coercion by Albany Med, adding: "At a time when organized labor is under attack from President Trump and the federal government in Washington, I stand shoulder to shoulder with our union brothers and sisters and those seeking to organize, especially the men and women who serve our sick and elderly at hospitals across the state."

"The nurses feel really vindicated," Carboni said, "because they had been reporting these things to us for months, saying 'when is somebody going to do something about this?' "

Discussions about unionizing began almost two years ago after nurses complained about working on what they say are dangerously understaffed shifts. Supporters also hope forming a union will help them negotiate for  better pay. 

"They pay, and benefits here are some of the lowest in the entire country, making it difficult to keep nurses here," Carboni said.

In a statement, an Albany Med spokesperson denied the coercive tactics and says the hospital "respects our nurses and is closely following all laws and regulations to ensure our nurses have the right to make a free and informed choice."

In an internal memo obtained by Spectrum News, Albany Medical Center management have accused union supporters of intimidation. According to the memo, one supporter allegedly threatened a colleague wearing a "vote no" pin saying, "you're going to be sorry for wearing that."

Union organizers deny the claims. 

"Harassing people into that decision does not benefit the cause for the nurses that want to organize a union at Albany Medical Center," Carboni said.

The union vote is scheduled for April 12-13.