The Pennsylvania State Troopers Association says the state police haven’t shown “any justification” for rescinding a trooper’s permission to work as Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s assistant.

State police spokeswoman Lt. Myra Taylor says Trooper Ed Joyner won’t be allowed to work for Roethlisberger while his union grievance is pending.

The union says it will “vigorously” defend Joyner, who was with Roethlisberger when the Steelers star was accused of sexual assault in a Georgia nightclub on March 5.

The state police last month rescinded Joyner’s permission to work for Roethlisberger, saying the trooper’s presence “demeaned” the state police and was beyond the scope of the work he had permission to do for Roethlisberger since 2005.