Both sides remain significantly apart more than a week after the teacher strike began in the Seneca Valley School District in Butler County.

No new negotiations have been scheduled since talks failed to yield an agreement on Monday night. Whether an agreement is reached or not, the 575 teachers must be back in the classroom on Nov. 16 under state law so that the nearly 7,600 students can get 180 days of instruction by June 15.

Both sides have Web sites to provide information, the district at www.svsd.net and the teachers at www.svteachers.com.

The union has posted a video of chief negotiator Pat Andrekovich, who also is a teacher and district parent, on YouTube where he spends about a minute and a half explaining the teachers position.

According to him, the teachers have proposed a 4 percent pay increase on the existing 19-step pay scale. He said the district's offer would amount to an increase of 1.78 percent on the scale. By the final year of the contract, 30 percent of the teachers would receive a raise of less than 2 percent which, he said, would not attract or maintain high-quality staff.

In a phone interview, Tom King, attorney negotiating for the school district, said the steps under the old contract do not automatically exist under the new. He said the district is offering a 4 percent annual increase on the teachers' actual current pay, not the steps themselves. He said the teacher offer would exceed 6 percent a year over what teachers are paid now.

Mr. King said the board Monday offered the teachers contract proposals ranging from two to five years in length.

However, Butch Santicola, teacher spokesman, said, "The board came in with the same offer they've been presenting for months now."

While the board previously offered nonbinding arbitration, the board Monday night offered nonbinding arbitration with a twist. The typical nonbinding arbitration, which will be mandated by the state if the strike continues to the critical date of return, has a neutral arbitrator and one party chosen by each side.

Mr. King said the board Monday suggested arbitration using a neutral arbitrator and four Seneca Valley residents, two chosen by each side. None of the residents could be affiliated with the school board, school district or union. The teachers declined.

Mr. King said, "We said, 'You don't need to stay out.'" We'll agree to go to nonbinding arbitration."

Mr. Santicola said, "It's not going to bring a settlement."

He said the district, followed by the teachers, already had rejected the recommendations of a neutral third party, a fact-finder.

Mr. King said the teachers have not agreed on health care payments.

Mr. Santicola said, "The board is aware we're willing to negotiate salary, and we're willing to negotiate health care."

Mr. King said the two sides are $13 million apart on salaries and $350,000 a year apart on health care.