AARP IS A TARGET

The American Association of Retired People, better known to millions of senior citizens as the AARP, has over the last generation emerged as one of the titans of American politics. With its membership rolls swollen by Americans who become eligible for membership at age 50 and who sign up chiefly for travel and insurance discounts, the organization isn't a force to be trifled with. Another issue entirely is the number of members who happen to disagree with political positions the AARP adopts through its board of directors and other full-timers.

A recent episode places the AARP in something of a new light. Today, the AARP is defending itself in court against a charge that it engaged in the kinds of "subtle forms" of age discrimination it warns its members about. AARP strongly denies the charge, which is levied by an executive who helped formulate the organization's age-discrimination policies.

Otis "Gabe" Gabriel, 56, still has his $56,000-a-year salary and his "almost corner office" at AARP headquarters. But he claims that late in 1994 the AARP deprived him of just about everything else: his job title, his duties as manager of employee relations, his staff and his $200,000 annual budget. He has been reassigned as "director of special projects," which isn't even part of the internal organization flow chart.

"It's a phase-out position," Gabriel says. "I was in human resources. I helped write age-discrimination policies, so I know what it looks like." Gabriel was replaced by a woman in her 40s and was denied another management position. AARP officials say they will fight Gabriel's charges in court.

There is surpassing irony in the fact that AARP, which promotes age-discrimination awareness and lawsuits, is being sued by one of its own long-time employees on this very ground. It may just be sauce-for-the-gander time. It will be interesting to see how this one turns out.