South Butler County teachers and the school board agree that any wage increases should be retroactive to July 2008, once the two sides come to terms on a new contract.

That is about the only issue where there is agreement in the "final best contract offers" submitted by both sides to an arbitration panel.

The teachers and school board remain divided on the size of those wage increases, contributions toward health insurance, early-retirement incentives and the length of the school day.

The three-member panel will hold a closed hearing at 4 p.m. Dec. 16 on the school district campus in Jefferson to review final offers. The panel's decision is likely to be announced in mid-January.

Under state Act 88, the 1992 law covering collective bargaining for school teachers, both sides must participate in arbitration, but the panel's decision will not be binding.

Teachers are asking for retroactive wage hikes averaging 5.2 percent for last year, 5.1 percent this year, 4.8 percent in 2010-2011 and about 4.6 percent in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.

The district is offering 3.5 percent for last year and this year and 4 percent for the following three years.

The teachers propose three options for health insurance with employee contributions ranging from $20 to $45 per month for family coverage.

The district wants the teachers to accept the same Highmark PPO Blue plan agreed to by support personnel and clerical staff. Employees would pay $50 per month next year for family coverage, $60 in 2011-2012 and $70 in 2012-2013.

South Butler teachers have been without a contract since July 2008 and have gone on strike twice since then.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.