Ex-GM director York says auto bankruptcies needed

ROCHESTER, Mich (Reuters) - Jerry York, a former board member at General Motors Corp and an executive at Chrysler two decades ago, said on Tuesday the bankruptcies for the two automakers were "absolutely necessary."

The bankruptcy filings were needed to allow GM and Chrysler to pare debt and dealers, and both have a chance to survive after the restructurings, said York, an adviser to billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian who served on GM's board in 2006.

York, speaking to reporters after an appearance at an industry event at Oakland University, said he would not be interested in returning to GM's board, or on serving on another automaker's board.

"It sounds to me like they are doing a pretty good job of staffing the board," York said of GM.

When asked whether that meant he would decline a draft to the GM board, York responded, "That is correct."

York said he might get involved with an automaker "in some capacity," but did not elaborate.

(Reporting by David Bailey and Soyoung Kim; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)