The Tertiary Education Union wants the University of Otago to overturn a decision to disestablish three full-time Maori studies positions at the College of Education.
It has strongly criticised the decision, which it says will result in only one Maori studies staff member retained.
Losing the staff would "dramatically erode" the Maori studies curriculum for student teachers and lessen the likelihood graduates would be sufficiently equipped to "play a significant and useful role" in teaching Maori language and culture in the classroom, local union organisers Kris Smith and Shaun Scott said in a letter circulated to members and others.
In the letter, they said the university had also ignored its obligations under four policies which all stated the university should support the recruitment, participation, retention, development and success of Maori staff and students.
The Otago Daily Times obtained a copy of the letter yesterday.
Its contents were confirmed by Ms Smith.
Fifteen full-time equivalent positions - 12 academic and three general - are being shed by the end of next year.
The university says the restructuring will eliminate an annual $1.3 million over-run in the college budget and increase the number of research-active teaching staff.
Critics say it unfairly targets staff responsible for teaching classroom practice and monitoring student teachers' progress during work placements.
The union had not yet approached vice-chancellor Prof Sir David Skegg to ask the university to change its mind over the Maori studies positions, Ms Smith said.
It intended to do that once an "action plan to start the lobbying process" had been decided at a hui today.
About 40 Maori union members had been invited to the hui and had been asked to invite colleagues and peers.
University human resources director Kevin Seales yesterday confirmed three full-time Maori studies positions had been disestablished and the decision had been based on workload requirements.
The university did not comment on the circumstances of individual staff members, he said.
