This week melodramatic words leapt off the pages of many newspapers. Chaos, gridlock, strife, shutdown and anarchy were let loose on the people, according to headlines.

Well, not quite. But the words were an attempt to describe one of the most fractious weeks in industrial relations for some time. Signal workers shut down the railway network, taxi-drivers sealed off entry to Dublin Airport and teachers closed down schools.

But the sinking disappointment for teachers was that headlines which talked of chaos and anarchy did not have the words "ASTI" or "teachers" in them.

Instead, that union's industrial action was relegated to inside pages and to third or fourth billing on radio and television news bulletins. To add insult to injury a number of schools (albeit a small group) bypassed the ASTI dispute and accepted pupils for classes.

Someone with no school-going children who had a busy week could be forgiven for missing the ASTI's action altogether.

For a union which threatened "chaos" (its own words) this was not how it was meant to be. In previous years the closure of more than 600 schools for four days (and another four to follow) would have been big news.

Big news not just because of the physical act of closing schools and depriving pupils of teaching, but because teachers were teachers, and if they went on strike it was a major public event which sent ripples across the community.

Not so now. Teachers are having to take their place in the long line like everyone else. This line is now made up of an assortment of workers, pilots (for the moment), rail workers, catering staff, health board workers and, of course, taxi-drivers. The other problem is that other teachers are not in the line with them. The lack of a united teachers' front (at least in terms of strategy) is a major bonus for the Government.

In terms of presentation, they can convincingly argue they have no dispute with teachers per se, but solely with the ASTI, one of three teacher unions.

The ASTI is hoping the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) and the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) will join them at some stage. But waiting for that to happen could be like waiting for a train some days this week - ultimately fruitless.

The leaderships of the INTO and TUI are consensus players and will do everything to avoid having to strike. They are already deeply antagonistic to the ASTI's tactics.

"The way we see the ASTI is like a man standing near a cliff getting ready to jump. We are not going to help them to do it," said a leading member of one of the other teacher unions.

While undermined by the lack of unity among teachers, the other problem - of increasing militancy throughout the economy - poses either a problem or an opportunity for the ASTI, depending on your perspective.

Looked at negatively, it means second-level teachers are just another group looking for a pay rise.

However, the ASTI general secretary, Mr Charlie Lennon, says an imminent collapse in the pay consensus is good for teachers. "We can no longer be portrayed as the only bad boys," he told The Irish Times recently. Many of his members agree and believe the social partnership deals have held back teachers. "We have always done better by negotiating our own deals," said one member this week.

This may happen in the new year, but the Government is not going to make it easy. The ASTI knows that a real blast of militancy will be needed to make them budge. This week's action of withdrawing supervision has not even dented the Government's armour.

It was a bit like a flea trying to head-butt an elephant. Most teachers, while understandably frustrated at being out of their classes, know this. "We will have to step up the pressure. At the moment we are a thorn in their side, but nothing more," one ASTI member confided.

Yesterday the union was studying its future options. Next Friday its standing committee repeats the exercise. Pulling out of the exam system is one option being looked at. Another is more strikes rather than supervision withdrawals.

But teachers know that among all the services they perform for the State, the Government needs them for exams more than anything. If they pull the plug on those, they can expect headlines with the words "ASTI" and "chaos" together.

Among all the services teachers perform for the State, the Government needs them for exams more than anything. If they pull the plug on those, they can expect headlines with the words `ASTI' and `chaos' together.