A labor dispute erupted in Anderson County Tennessee when the miners of Coal Creek went on strike. The mine owners made the situation much worse when they decided to replace the striking miners with?

The mine owners exacerbated the labor dispute in Anderson County, Tennessee, by replacing the striking miners with non-union workers, often referred to as "scabs." This decision heightened tensions and escalated conflicts between the miners and management, leading to violent confrontations and a deepening rift in the community. The strike was rooted in demands for better wages and working conditions, making the owners' actions particularly inflammatory and indicative of broader labor issues of the era.