Allocating blame?

The BBC Today programme's piece on the Leeds refuse collectors strike was interesting for two things. First that according to the report the cause was the local councils decision to equalise pay for men and women; now who introduced the legislation requiring this equalisation? I thought it was this Labour government, but of course they cannot be blamed for anything on the BBC - Afghanistan, Iraq and not doing enough to fight Climate Change, excepted. Second was the reporter saying that the council had said that nobody would lose 30% of their salary but that a striker had said he had it in writing. Did the reporter ask to see this documentary proof or do the BBC just take the word of a striker on trust?