A committee has approved a plan to let UW System faculty and staff form unions.

Nearly 20,000 faculty and academic staff in the University of Wisconsin System would be allowed to form unions under a plan approved Tuesday by the Legislature's budget committee.

The Joint Finance Committee voted 12-4 to allow up to 30 separate collective bargaining units in the UW System of 13 four-year universities and 13 two-year colleges. The measure will be included in the state budget plan it sends to the full Legislature for approval.

Democrats who voted for the measure say professors, researchers, instructors and other university employees deserve the same right to collectively bargain enjoyed by other state workers who aren't managers.

"This is all about fairness," said Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, who called the plan long overdue.