BUTLER - Teachers in a western Pennsylvania school district say they'll strike and the district has canceled classes.

Teachers in the 3,000-student South Butler School District say they'll strike Thursday. The contract for the district's 184 teachers expired June 30.

District solicitor Tom King says salaries and health insurance are the major issues. King says the teachers want a 5.9 percent raise and the district is offering 3.2 percent. The average teacher's salary was $51,144 in the 2007-08 school year.

King says he's offered to go to nonbinding arbitration. Pennsylvania State Education Association spokesman Bruce Santicola says he hasn't seen the offer.