Classes were canceled for the fourth straight day in Woburn amid a teachers strike in the Massachusetts city, despite the fact the teachers union will be fined $40,000 for remaining on the picket line.NewsCenter 5 obtained a message sent to Woburn Public Schools families that stated the city was unable to reach an agreement on a new contract with the Woburn Teachers Association despite a full day of negotiations on Wednesday."As a result, the Woburn Teachers Association will be out on an illegal strike tomorrow — and all Woburn Schools will be closed for students tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 2," the message reads.Woburn Teachers Association President Barbara Locke said the union made small gains in its negotiations with Mayor Scott Galvin and the Woburn School Committee on Wednesday, but Locke also claimed that Galvin and the school committee sat on a counterproposal from the WTA and ended negotiations for the day at 7:45 p.m."We're supposed to be bargaining and getting this done so we can get back to school. It is clear that they do not want to get this done," Locke said.Teacher strikes are illegal in Massachusetts since state law prohibits strikes by public employees, which makes them exceptionally rare in the commonwealth. "We're frustrated," Galvin said Wednesday night. "Teachers need to get back in the classroom where they belong and stop breaking the law."Following an evidentiary hearing Wednesday afternoon, Superior Court Judge Maureen Mulligan ruled that the Woburn Teachers Association and Locke — in her capacity as union president — would be fined $40,000 on Thursday if they did not agree to end the strike by 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.In addition, the $40,000 fine will continue to increase by $5,000 each day the strike continues. Payments must be made by 5 p.m. the day of each violation, according to Mulligan's ruling. "I'm not worried about paying for it. We're worried about the children and we're not worried about the fines," Locke said.An injunction ordering teachers back to class was issued Monday, but despite that, teachers remained on the picket line Tuesday and Wednesday. “We want to settle this contract. We are willing and able to compromise. We are certainly not going to compromise on the quality of education,” said Eric Scarborough of the WTA."They're inconveniencing our parents, they're inconveniencing our taxpayers. Meanwhile they're having a big party out on the common in front of the schools dancing," Galvin said."Rather than bargaining right now, the Woburn politicians would rather weaponize the justice system against educators and delay negotiations. This is unacceptable," Locke said. Locke said Tuesday that the teachers union was making progress with Galvin and the Woburn School Committee during Tuesday's contract negotiations. According to Locke, teachers agreed to come down to the mayor's cost-of-living adjustment, but they are pushing for a sizeable pay hike for school support staff members. Mulligan issued a preliminary injunction against the WTA Monday night, ordering the union to cease and desist and its strike. On Wednesday, she heard arguments about potential fines if the strike continues. “It is a major disruption to our city, we have 4,200 children being affected by this and if you drive by the city, it is a big party for the WTA — out dancing, singing, blatantly ignoring this honorable judge’s orders,” Galvin said.The Woburn School Committee sought a $50,000 daily fine against the striking teachers with a $10,000 elevator for as long as the strike continued.Teachers union representatives told the court that the fines proposed by the school committee would wipe out their savings account of $83,000.The strike has cost the city of Woburn $120,000 so far. The city is providing free lunches to students who need them. More than 4,500 students are enrolled in the Woburn Public Schools District.