A320 FIRST OFFICER ADVISES OF A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN PLANNED FUEL ON BOARD INITIATED BY DISPATCH WITH NO COORDINATION WITH THE CAPTAIN.

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ENRTE TO DEN WE PULLED THE PAPERS AND PLACED A FUEL LOAD. WE ASKED FOR 14000 LBS AND CHANGE. I DO NOT REMEMBER THE EXACT AMOUNT. AN ALTERNATE WAS NOT REQUIRED AND WAS NOT LISTED ON THE FPF. HOWEVER WE FELT AS THOUGH THE ORIGINAL FUEL WAS A TAD THIN AND ADDED A FEW HUNDRED LBS SINCE THERE WAS AN EXCELLENT CHANCE OF DEICING AT DEN WHICH WAS NOT REFLECTED IN THE FPF. THE PLANE WAS LATE GETTING TO DEN. I AM BRAND NEW AND THE IOE CAPT AND I MET THE JET ON THE RAMP FOR THE PREFLT. WE FOUND 3 WRITE-UPS AND HEADED IN TO MAKE OUR NESTS AND DEPART. THE FUEL SHEET WAS IN THE JET AND SHOWED A TOTAL FUEL LOAD OF 10KISH; ALMOST 4000 LBS LESS THAN WE HAD SIGNED OFF FOR. IT TOOK AT LEAST A HALF HR AND MULTIPLE PHONE CALLS TO GET THE MESS STRAIGHTENED OUT. THE FOM IS QUITE CLR AND EXHAUSTIVE IN ITS DESCRIPTION OF FUEL(S); LOADS; AND REQUIREMENTS. I DON'T RECALL READING ANYTHING ABOUT DISPATCH LOWERING AN AGREED UPON FUEL LOAD WITHOUT INITIATING CONTACT WITH THE CREW AND OBTAINING THEIR CONSENT/AGREEMENT. NOW; I AM NOT ADVOCATING FLYING AROUND WITH UNNECESSARY FUEL. WE ARE ALL FULLY AWARE OF THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF CARRYING ONLY THE NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE FUEL FOR A GIVEN FLT SEGMENT. BUT; CONSIDER IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE 3RD OF 4TH LEG OF A LONG DAY AND WE WERE FATIGUED; DISTR (MAINT; DEICE; WX; PAX ISSUES; FLT ATTENDANT ISSUES; ETC ETC ETC) AND MISSED IT? THERE WAS NO NEW FPF ON THE PRINTER; ONLY US NOTICING THAT THE FUEL WASN'T RIGHT. WE COULD HAVE DEPARTED WITH A BOGUS FUEL LOAD. AS IT WAS; WE TOOK A HEINOUS MAINT DELAY AND HAD TO DEICE. WE ENDED UP AT OUR DEST WITH LESS THAN 6000 LBS FUEL. HAD WE DEPARTED WITH THE 10000 LB VALUE; WE COULD HAVE REALLY GOTTEN IN TROUBLE.