Newspaper Controls Tips, Determines when to Stop Customer for Nonpayment Etc

[jbjanes]

My question involves independent contractors in the state of: NH and Mass.
I am a newspaper carrier in NH for a company based in Mass that is owned by a company based in Georgia. When a customer sends a payment directly to the paper for 13, 26 or 52 weeks and includes a tip, the paper company banks the tip and disburses them weekly. I am an independent contractor and feel the paper has no right to control any part of what I earn, including tips. If I quit, all the tips meant for me are given to the next carrier.
They also determine when a customer can be stopped for non payment. They will reinburse me,(sometimes) for 4 weeks, but even if a customer owes ME for 6 months they won't stop the customer when I call it into the office. This control, alone, from what I've read, disquallifies me as an independent contractor.
It is not my intention to force the paper to accept me as an employee, I want all tips they are holding, which amounts to thousands, tens of thousands if you include all the carriers, released to me and then paid to me as they come in as all other paper companies in the area do.
What can I do to rectify this situation? I could quit, but then I'd lose everything they control.
Thankyou in advance.

[flyingron]

I don't see anything particularly wrong here. As long as the tips are distributed to the carriers it is legal. It would only be problematic if they kept all or a portion for staff not involved in the service. Just because you're an independent contractor means little. Why do you feel the tips aren't the property of those doing the service?