NEW YORK — A pay bump for workers at some McDonald’s restaurants isn’t likely to ease the pressures the chain is facing over labor issues.

McDonald’s said Wednesday it would raise pay for workers at its company-owned U.S. restaurants, which represent only about 10 percent of more than 14,300 locations. The company also said it would offer paid time off for some workers.

Other companies, including Walmart, have announced pay hikes in an improving economy and at a time when worker issues are getting widespread attention. McDonald’s, in particular, has been a primary target for ongoing demonstrations for pay of $15 an hour and a union.

Immediately following the announcement, labor organizers stressed how the move by McDonald’s shows the need for people to turn out for the next day of protests on April 15.

“Raising wages only a little for only a small fraction isn’t change. It’s a PR stunt,” said Kwanaza Brooks, a McDonald’s worker in North Carolina, on a call set up by organizers.

Kendall Fells, organizing director for the Fight for $15 campaign, said protests also were being planned at McDonald’s stores today.

In addition to demonstrations that began in late 2012, the campaign spearheaded by the Service Employees International Union has been pressuring McDonald’s on a number of legal fronts. This week, the National Labor Relations Board began a hearing that named McDonald’s as a joint employer in complaints over alleged violations at franchised restaurants.

The case is a reflection of a primary goal of the campaign: to hold McDonald’s accountable for labor practices at its franchised locations.

McDonald’s has said it doesn’t have control over employment decisions at franchised restaurants.