Secondary teachers are seeking to stop the Minister for Education, Dr Woods, holding this year's exams without their co-operation.
The Irish Times has learned that ASTI will ask unions representing other secondary teachers and college lecturers to "show solidarity" and not mark this year's exams.
The union does not want college lecturers to mark papers and is calling on members of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) not to make up the "shortfall" if Dr Woods needs extra teachers.
The Department of Education may need to use other teachers and academics to mark the papers but ASTI vehemently opposes the idea.
A motion, passed by the union at the weekend, states: "Show solidarity with our dispute by not participating in any way that would help the Minister to make up the shortfall of personnel he would have as a result of the ASTI withdrawal from the State examination."
It is understood the Department is also looking to recruit retired teachers and inspectors to mark papers, although ASTI may seek to block this too. Some retired teachers would be former ASTI members.
As the union seeks to gather support, fresh peace moves are expected this morning with the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) official, Mr Tom Pomphrett, set to contact the Department of Education.
But there is little optimism of an early resolution. One reason is the docking of three days' pay for work-to-rule action by ASTI members. This was a Cabinet decision and can only be reversed by the Cabinet. Dr Woods cannot take the decision on his own.
Another difficulty is that the Cabinet is not due to meet until January 22nd, although it would be possible to convene before then.
Commenting on the weekend decision, Dr Woods said: "We agreed to refund the docked pay immediately that was deducted for `days of action' by ASTI teachers. However, it appears that the intransigence of the ASTI continues." It was not too late for ASTI to reverse its decision, Dr Woods said. He added that the only people suffering in the dispute were students and their parents.
One leading member of the ASTI standing committee said last night the move to contact others in the education sector was an attempt to block alternative exam arrangements being made by the Government. It was, he said, "out of the question for the Department to run the exams without ASTI".
The next part of the teachers' action will be a national strike next Tuesday in Dublin. This will be followed by rolling regional strikes. Pupils will lose four days' teaching in total.