City school bus companies and union leaders are to meet Monday in an effort to resolve the strike.

Last week, Mayor Bloomberg said the meeting will be held at Gracie Mansion.

A mediator will conduct the meeting.

The strike by school bus drivers and aides entered its eighth day Monday.

The conflict is over the city’s need to rein in spiraling costs against the bus drivers’ goal of keeping their jobs.

The city contracts with private bus companies. It says the city must seek competitive bids to save money. Local 1181 of the Amalgamated Transit Union wants the new contracts to include job protections for current drivers.

Some buses have been running because their drivers are not members of the union.

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(AP)