By John Crawley WASHINGTON, June 10 (Reuters) - In response to what they see as the moves toward privatizing U.S. air traffic control, the nation's controllers assailed the White House on Monday, saying a senior Bush administration official was dangerously misinformed about privately run systems. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, which represents about 15,000 controllers, sought meetings with top White House and Transportation Department officials about administration positions in recent days the union asserts are initial steps to privatize some or all of air traffic control. "I fear the administration is ignoring the warning signs that come with privatization -- profits over safety," John Carr, president of the controllers union, said in a statement. In an executive order signed last week, President George W. Bush determined air traffic control was not an essential government function. And in a television interview on Sunday, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card would not rule out privatization and touted the Canadian system -- prompting criticism form the controllers. Card said it was too early to say if privatization was being considered by the president. A White House spokeswoman stressed on Monday no proposals were in the works. But in its last two budgets, the Bush administration has expressed an interest in exploring partial or full privatization of the air traffic system, which is run by the Federal Aviation Administration. "What we want is the most effective way for government to do its job, and we also want to analyze what are appropriate government responsibilities," Card told ABC's "This Week" program. "We have seen around the world how some functions that used to be historically government have been moved to the private sector." Card, a former U.S. transportation secretary, cited Canada's privatized air traffic system as one that has worked well, particularly when it handled grounded and diverted planes after the Sept. 11 hijack attacks in the United States. But Carr said private air traffic systems, like those in Canada and Britain, have critical shortcomings that should be apparent to officials reviewing transportation policy. For instance, in Canada there have been budget and labor problems that could lead to a strike next month. The partially privatized system in Britain, the National Air Traffic Services, loses money and has had embarrassing problems with air traffic computers recently, Carr said. "Mr. Card's comments, while insulting and disingenuous to the nation's air traffic controllers, are dangerously misinformed," Carr said. He said the air traffic union has sought a meeting with Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta and senior White House officials on privatization, and has stepped up its lobbying in Congress. The House of Representatives plans to formally address the issue next month at a hearing. "Were trying very hard to meet with people on both sides of the issue to make sure that our position is grounded in fact," Carr said. ©2002 Reuters Limited.